Revelations
by Trufreak89
Summary: Four years after the events of 'Esoteric' Sydney is payed a visit by a ghost from the past. With Rambaldi followers plotting to revive Rambaldi, Sydney fears for her daughter's safety once more. FF MF Syren VaughnOC Updated
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary:** Seven years after her death at the hands of Sydney, Lauren returns to the CIA with someone she wants Sydney to meet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG (Rating will go up)

**A/N:** This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

Walking in to the headquarters of the BHD Organisation for the first time she recognised a few faces from the past here and there. When Weiss saw her he stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her as though she would disappear in the blink of an eye.

When they arrived at Director Bristow's office he stared up at her from behind his desk in disbelief. When she had known Jack Bristow he had always guarded his emotions and his expression was often neutral, but as she stood before him his shock and disbelief was clearly showing on his aged face.

Sydney Bristow rushed through the building and in to her father's office to find that Weiss had not been lying when he'd said he'd seen a ghost. A smile spread over her lips and she embraced the woman whom she had not seen in so long. "Thank God." She muttered. "When I couldn't contact you I thought…"

"I heard Rambaldi was dead." The woman replied calmly as she pulled away from Sydney. "I only found out a few months ago, otherwise I would have come sooner."

Jack and Vaughn sat watching the interaction in stunned silence until Jack spoke. "Sydney, what is going on here?" Sydney looked to the woman who had aged well in the years she had been away and smiled.

"I guess cowardice runs in the family." Jack's eyes lit up at Sydney's words.

"You mean…how? You were so distraught…how did you…"

"I think it's time we explained." Lauren interrupted.

Seven Years Earlier 

Sydney hung up the phone after her contact finished speaking and sighed. Rambaldi was closing in on them. She would find them within days. She walked through the apartment and in to her daughter's room where Lauren was tucking her in to bed. "Good night sweetheart." The ten year old mumbled a reply as she settled down to sleep and as Sydney stood at the door watching her family she knew exactly what had to be done.

"She's closing in on us." Sydney informed Lauren as she came in to the living room. "If she finds us she'll take Faith."

"I'd die before I let her take our daughter." Lauren objected as she sat beside Sydney on the couch. Sydney nodded.

"Yeah, you probably would." She replied bitterly. "There's only one thing we can do."

Lauren looked to the gun in Sydney's hands. "Do you think you could cope?" She asked as cuddled in to her.

"I can barely imagine living a second without you and Faith, but it has to be done." Lauren nodded.

"I'll pack lightly and take the money from the joint bank account." Lauren sighed. "I promise I'll guard her with my life and I'll never let her forget you…"

"Rambaldi is immortal." Sydney objected. "She made me immortal too." Sydney had discovered that when she'd saved a neighbour's daughter from being ran over and ended up slamming in to the car and walking away with barely a scratch. "She won't just go away. Faith might be mortal, we can't know for certain. I want you to tell her I died and I want you to live your lives. Wait three years though, if I haven't dealt with Rambaldi in that time then cut all contact with me, it's safer that way. I'll go back and tell them I killed you both to save you…" Lauren brushed away the tears from Sydney's eyes.

"I love you Sydney and I know you'll keep us safe."

"Always."

Present 

"You didn't kill them?" Vaughn still looked stunned. "For seven years you've lived without your daughter when you knew she was out there somewhere?"

"I tried to contact Lauren three years and two days after I faked their deaths…I was too late, so I knew I really had lost my family for good. I'd never see them again so they were as good as dead in my eyes…where's Faith?"

"She's in our hotel room. I told her to wait…so as usual she didn't listen. I spotted her outside before I came in. I'll go get her in a few minutes…I told her that we used to work for the CIA and NSA…but I haven't told her you're alive yet. I didn't know if you'd still be here…"

"Director Bristow." One of the security team addressed him from the door. "We've just apprehended a young woman who broke in to the facility. She says her Godmother came in here she was almost in Mr. Flinkman's office before we caught her…" Lauren smiled as Sydney looked at her with a curious smirk.

"You're daughter definitely takes after you Sydney." Lauren took hold of her hand. "I think it's time we introduced you to her."

As they walked to Marshall's office where two security guards and Marshall were keeping an eye on the young intruder Sydney grew more and more nervous. "Has she changed much? Does she still like skateboarding? Did you get her the BMX? Do you think…" Lauren stopped and placed a kiss on Sydney's lips to silence her.

"Sydney, you're her mother, she will love you as much as she did when she was ten years old, relax."

Sydney paused at the door of Marshall's office and looked in to see seventeen-year-old girl playing cards with Marshall. Her hair was still the same colour as Sydney's but it was styled with bangs and she looked as tall as Sydney. Seven years had changed the little girl who Sydney had raised in to a beautiful and confident woman.

When she looked up and caught Sydney's gaze she frowned. "Mom?" She asked and jumped up to the door. Sydney found herself in the girl's embrace and tears flowing silently from her eyes. "I knew you were alive." She muttered as she held her mother. When she pulled away Sydney smiled at her daughter.

"You've grown."

"Yeah, seven years does that." Faith replied then realised how her tone had sounded. "I'm sorry it's just, you were alive all these years and you never came to get me and Lauren. Why? Does it have something to do with my gift?"

Sydney's gaze travelled to Lauren's. "She had abilities." Lauren explained. "They became apparent as she got older. She sees the past, glimpses of the future…"

"Senses a person's emotions, fears and dreams." Sydney finished. "Rambaldi told us about it."

"Who's Rambaldi?" Faith asked. "And how does she know what I can do?"

Sydney took hold of her daughter and smiled. "You don't have to worry about Rambaldi…hey how about we go introduce you to your grandpa?" Sydney asked, changing the subject and leading her family to go see her father.

When Sark entered Marshall's office ten minutes later he noticed he was even more chirpy than usual. "Hey, Mr. Sark." He beamed. "It's great news about Lauren and uh…Faith, isn't it?" Sark looked quizzically at him. "Didn't you hear? Sydney didn't kill Lauren after all she faked it, and now Lauren and Sydney's daughter…well actually I guess she's yours too…Mr. Sark?"

Sark rushed from the office to find Sydney. He couldn't believe what Marshall had told him, he had to see it for his own two eyes, but what he found hardest to believe that after seven years of comforting Sydney and growing close to her she had not told him the truth about his daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary:** After seventeen years Sark finally meets his daughter.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N:** This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

As Sark rounded the corner to head for Jack's office he stopped short as a young woman was pounding on the vending machine nearby. "Excuse me, but I don't think beating the machine will make it work."

The young girl looked up with a sarcastic smile on her face. "Thanks I'll remember that for future reference." Sark's mouth hung open in shock as he took the young woman in. She looked seventeen or eighteen and extraordinarily like Sydney, but the sarcastic smirk she wore was unmistakably his.

After seeing the shocked look on the blonde man's face Faith added, "It ate my money." Sark pulled himself out of the daze he'd been sent in to and approached the girl to hand her some change out of his back pocket. She smiled politely now and took it graciously. "Thanks, I'm choking for a drink and all they have here is really disgusting coffee. I don't think it should be that lumpy. I'm Faith by the way."

She stuck out her hand, which Sark shook. "That's a very beautiful name Faith. My name is Julian, Julian Sark. May I ask why you are here?"

"It's kind of a long and wacky story. My Godmother brought me here to see my real mother, who happens to be my Godmother's fiancé and I was told she was dead…"

"You're Sydney Bristow's daughter?" Sark asked, a grin lighting his features.

"Faith have you got…" Sydney paused as she saw Sark standing beside her daughter. "Julian…"

"I was just helping your daughter, the machine swallowed her money." Sark replied as a way to tell Sydney he had told her nothing, but the hurt in his eyes showed her how much she had hurt him.

Sydney walked over to them and stood beside Faith. "Faith, this is Julian Sark. He's…he's your father."

"Dad?" The second the word left Faith's mouth the hurt from Sark's eyes vanished and was replace by joy and pride. Faith wrapped her arms around his neck as she hugged him. Sark gingerly held her as tears streamed down his eyes while Sydney watched.

"Faith, can you go sit with Lauren and your grandfather?" Sydney asked after her daughter pulled away from Sark.

"But I want to talk to Dad…"

"It's alright Faith. Your mother and I need to talk, but I'll come see you in a little bit, we have a lot of catching up to do." At Sark's reassuring Faith left to find Lauren leaving Sydney and Sark on their own.

"For the past seven years I have grieved for my daughter with you. I've dreamt countless times of what she would look like as a teenager. I've imagined what I would say to her if I could just turn back time and meet her…and all this time she's been alive!" He leant against a wall and he looked exhausted as he stared at her. "I accept there was no hope of finding her, Lauren would protect them the best she could and no one would have been able to locate them because that's what you wanted…but you didn't even tell me she was alive."

"She and Lauren had disappeared without trace for seven years, they were dead to me. My family were gone and I would never see them again, the only way to get through the day was to stick to my story and mourn them. I couldn't tell you Sark, but I told you everything I could about her instead." Sydney objected.

"What's going to happen now?" Sark asked as he looked towards Jack's office where his daughter sat talking to her grandfather and glancing back at him to smile every so often.

"Faith has her family back now. She's got Lauren and me again, and now she has her father and her grandfather looking out for her. With Rambaldi gone she's safe now…but she's unique Sark. We don't know if she's immortal but she has her gifts and from what Lauren's told me they've gotten stronger in the past seven years. If anyone finds out who she is, K-Directorate, Rambaldi's followers, rival governments…they'll try and take her. She needs us to protect her more than ever now Sark, I need you to promise you can do that."

"I'd give my life to protect our daughter Sydney. You know that." Sydney smiled at him and gave him a quick hug.

"I know Julian." She held the small key he had on a chain attached to his neck, which was required for opening the front panel of the box Sark had buried containing part of Rambaldi. Her own key was around her neck, but the others had all hid theirs. Both Sydney and Sark wore them as a reminder of the price they had paid for their destinies. "If Rambaldi ever came back then you'd probably pay that price."

"She's not coming back Sydney." Sark held her hand reassuringly. "She's gone for good and no one can change that."

"When did it happen?" Vaughn asked the MI6 agent he was talking to over the phone. "How bad is he?"

"He's been institutionalised. He's in pretty bed shape. Agent Weiss keeps repeating that he's 'sorry' and asking for someone named 'Sydney' to forgive him. He also mumbles on about someone stole the key to the box…"

"Thank you Agent Donnelly. Have him transferred back to Los Angeles ASAP."

He dialled Jack in his office and when he answered Jack knew something was wrong. "Jack…Weiss has been compromised. Someone's got part of Rambaldi and I'm guessing they're going to be looking for the rest."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary:** _My little girl. My Faith. Aptly named. She brings me Faith that all the pain and anguish in my life was worth it_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N:** This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

**Sydney POV**

Someone is trying to free Rambaldi, I knew that this day would come, when one of her many devout followers would attempt to save her from the eternal damnation we all put her in. It sometimes worries me that I can actually hate someone so much that I don't care that right now she is probably conscious of everything that is going on around her. Concious that her body is spread through out the world and it will remain there for the eternity, as she is powerless to do anything about it.

I have to suppress a smile as I think about it, and it sickens me, she's twisted me so much that I'm almost as depraved as the sociopaths I fight daily to keep my country safe, to keep my daughter safe.

She was why I did it, why I stooped so low as to damn Rambaldi to an eternity of nothingness. My little girl. My Faith. Aptly named. She brings me Faith that all the pain and anguish in my life was worth it just for her to exist and bless my life. I know I will live forever, but I'm no sure about Faith. She may be luckier than me and there's a chance she may be allowed to raise a family, grow old and die a painless death. She might not have to suffer the curse of immortality as I do, but once it's a price I paid in order for her to live and I looking back on things now I know I wouldn't want things to be different, if I could go back in time and stop Rambaldi before she impregnates me, I wouldn't.

Faith is the greatest gift I have to offer to the world and she makes everything seem worth it and I refuse to let anyone free Rambaldi so that she can use my daughter. I've only just got her back and I won't lose her again.

When I take Lauren and Faith to my two bed roomed apartment Faith looks around appreciating my taste in music and décor while Lauren holds me tight and smiles lovingly in to my eyes, something she has not done in so long that the look alone is enough to warm a soul I thought was long dead.

She is the only woman I have ever wanted and even though she has grown older and time has wizened her features and mind, where as it has not touched mine, I still see the young woman I first fell in love with over seventeen years ago.

"I love you." I whisper in her ear as we lie together in a bed that has been empty of her for too long.

"I love you too." She replies as she nuzzles in to my neck in an attempt to get as close as possible. I have not been this close to her in seven years and that's also how long it's been since I've been close to anyone. Even though I knew she might as well be dead to me and that she was too good and cared too much about Faith to allow anyone to be able to find her I never went with anyone else. I had been with neither a man nor woman in seven years and as I finally have my fiancée back in my arms all I want to do is hold her tight and never let her go again, but another part of me won't let me relax and enjoy having her back with me and so the second she is asleep I gently ease myself out of her grip and silently creep down the hallway to the guest room where Faith is staying.

When I look in to the room I see she is still awake, staring at a photograph of the three of us. It was taken almost seven years ago before I left and it reminds me of how much I've missed in Faith's life. She is no longer the mischievous ten year old with pig tails and a love for bugs that I remember. She is seventeen and a mature young woman, and right now even though we're bound together by blood, she feels like a stranger to me.

"Do you think it can be how it was?" She asks without even looking up to face me. She's good, she heard me coming before I even entered the room. But I should have expected it. For ten years I trained her to be the best and after that Lauren no doubt kept up her training.

"That depends, do you still collect bugs?" A faint smile touches her lips at the memory of her overly large bug collection.

"No, I still pick 'em up every now and then though…we're all going to be a family aren't we?"

"Of course, me, you and Lauren, just like before…without the bugs."

"And Julian." Faith added. "He is my father after all." Sydney paused and then nodded.

"You have every right to know your father Faith, and he's a good man, I won't stand in your way." She smiles broadly now and throws her arms around me neck.

"I love you, mom."

Lauren POV 

When Sydney sneaks out of bed and creeps down the corridor I know where she's going. I find her in Faith's room sitting beside her as they talk. When Faith asks if Julian can be part of our family it pains me. I've been her only family for seven years. I've taken care of bruises and scratches from the numerous sports she enjoys. I've nursed her through colds and broken bones. Given her everything she's ever asked for and yet only hours after learning that her parents aren't dead she is already pushing me out and replacing me.

I may not be her blood relative, but for the past seventeen years she has been my child and I won't lose her to Sark. She has no idea what he is capable of and everyone but me seems to have forgotten about his past.

After today in the office I felt like I has been replaced in Sydney's life by Sark. I feel like I'm losing her to that sociopath and I refuse to lose my daughter to him. Sydney and Faith are my family and no one, not Sark, nor even Rambaldi can take them away from me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary:** Another part of Rambaldi is taken and Faith finds out how she was conceived.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N:** It's been a while since I updated this, but I've had no chances to write the past week or two. This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

As Dixon stood in his daughter's empty house he stared in horror at a note that had been left on the coffee table, the only thing that had not been broken in what looked like a struggle. 'Bring us your piece of Rambaldi to the address below in three days, or else we'll return your daughter in pieces while she still lives, inform anyone of this and the same will happen to your son.'

That was two days ago and as Dixon stood in the middle of a field on the outskirts of Moscow with a shovel in his hand and the box containing Rambaldi over ten foot beneath him he started to dig.

He hadn't told a word of this to anyone, no one knew he was digging up his piece of Rambaldi and handing it to people who probably already had Weiss' piece. He felt disgusted with himself that he was betraying the people who relied on him, but he had to have his children back safely, no matter the cost, and the abductors needed all of Rambaldi, the others wouldn't fold so easily; he hoped.

After hours of digging he finally had the box up on the surface and he lay breathlessly in the refreshing snow staring at it. He knew what was inside, Rambaldi's left leg, nothing as great in importance as Sydney or Sark's container, but it was still a needed part of Rambaldi. "I'm sorry Syd." He muttered out loud as he heaved the box in to his car.

The next morning he was in Las Vegas, at the address he was to take the box to in exchange for his adult daughter and as two hired men handed her over for the box, the key and the combination to it, his hand was ready on the gun he had hidden in his coat, but the men, who already had their guns out simply retreated slowly to their car.

"Our client told us you were to live Mr Dixon, and to tell you that their employer, a Milo Rambaldi, would be the one kill you. Enjoy what is left of your life Mr Dixon."

When Dixon phoned Sydney, in tears at what he had done she simply told him to go to a CIA hospital for shock and hung up. The mysterious 'client' of the hired men now had two of Rambaldi's legs, and there were only four pieces left. Her father and Vaughn each had a leg and Sark had the head, she had buried Rambaldi's torso in a grave in her hometown.

When she informed the others they all agreed that extra security had to be taken, the children were all escorted to and from school and their activities were limited to ensure they were safe and the others all had panic buttons installed on their cell phones to alert the others to when there was trouble concerning Rambaldi.

As Lauren and Sydney sat in their home discussing Rambaldi quietly Faith sat hidden behind the living room door listening to everything they were saying.

"If Rambaldi's followers are resurrecting her they'll know about Faith, they'll tell her Faith is alive and we will lose our daughter." Lauren was close to tears as she sat curled up to Sydney on the sofa.

"I'll never let that happen. I didn't sacrifice ten years of being in her life just to let Rambaldi have her. We only have one option…"

"Sydney, it's not fair. She's seventeen, she's moved from place to place her whole life, she finally had a home for longer than three years and I took her from it to come here to be with you…"

"Lauren, god knows what Rambaldi wants Faith for, but she has the same drive as either of us, she is part of Faith's life, she is the reason she exists! She won't exactly want a custody hearing ok? She will take her and we will both lose her! I need you to leave, right now and take her with you. Disappear and never…never come back."

"No!" Faith objected and emerged from behind the door. "I'm seventeen, I'm almost an adult! You can't just make these decisions for me and not let me have a say in them! I don't pretend to understand most of this, why I have these abilities, or why we had to hide for years and not see mom, but I want to understand, right now. I want to know what everyone's hiding from me." Faith stood defiantly in front of them her arms crossed and a look of determination on her graceful features.

Sydney nodded slowly and Faith sat down on the sofa opposite them, waiting to be told the secret people had hid from her all of her life. "Faith, you're a very special young woman and you're not like other people…"

"We've already had the 'you're special you have two mommies speech' mom." Faith interrupted. "I'm not a kid anymore, just tell me straight."

"You really do have two moms, your other mother she took your father's…you know that bit already, well she added her own DNA to the fertilised egg, so you have the DNA from three parents, and she engineered it so that you were a certain way. She took out all of the bad genes, the ones that would cause hereditary diseases and things like that. Your other mom was already special, she was a prophet, she could see the future and she invented things four hundred years ahead of her time, she was also immortal and there's a chance you could be…"

"Please tell me your joking?" Faith sat stunned on the other sofa. "Mom? Lauren?" Lauren's sympathetic gaze only served to confirm that Sydney was telling the truth.

"There are a million things in that statement that could freak me out, but the worst, besides finding out yet another thing you've kept from me all of my life, is the immortality, I don't want to live forever, it can't be true…it's got to be…" Faith ran to her bedroom before Sydney and Lauren could stop her.

When they knocked on her door a few minutes later they opened it to find her gone and her window wide open. "We have to find her." Lauren grabbed her jacket and her car keys. "She's only seventeen, she doesn't know LA and there are more dangerous people out there than she knows."

"You try Sark's, I'll take the other car and drive around the places she knows." Sydney hit the panic button on her cell phone. "The others will help."

Standing on the harbour, the rain lashing down on her already soaking body she stared in to the restless waves of the sea. She couldn't be immortal, it wasn't possible. It was against all laws of nature, but then so was telepathy and prophesising, yet she had done both for years.

There was only one way to test if she was immortal and if she wasn't then she wouldn't get a chance to enjoy not being immortal, staring down at the crashing waves she spread her arms in preparation to jump and let the sea take her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She heard a woman's voice behind her and she turned around to see an attractive young woman in her late teens sitting on the edge of the harbour, her legs dangling freely over the side as she sat in the rain.

"I need to." Faith objected as salty tears mixed with the rain and rolled down her face in to the water below.

"What could be so bad that you feel the need to end the gift that is your life?" The girl asked.

"Trust me it isn't a gift." Faith objected. "It was an experiment. I'm a freak."

"Freak's are so much more interesting than normal people and their drab little lives." The girl smiled as she patted the space beside her and Faith sat down with her feet dangling over the ledge like the woman's.

"Do you know many freaks?" Faith asked, a lighter tone in her voice. "

"Yes as a matter of fact I do and they are all great people, many of them have been on one ledge or another in their life, but thankfully they came down from them safely." Faith had no idea why she found the woman so comforting but she felt she could talk to her.

"I might be immortal…"

"And you wish to test this by killing yourself?" The woman asked sceptically. "I've met immortals before, there's a much simpler test." Coming from anyone else Faith would think they were teasing her or patronising her, but she felt sincerity from the woman. Even when she took out a switchblade and took hold of Faith's arm she had no fear of her.

She sliced in to her arm making a cut deep enough to bleed, but minor enough to clot with pressure. "Immortals heal a lot faster than normal human beings, that cut would need stitches and a few weeks to heal, if it heals in a few day you're immortal, if not you may need to see a doctor." The woman laughed and Faith found her laughter infectious.

"Are you a freak?" Faith asked.

"You don't even know my name and you're asking something like that." The girl teased. She held out her hand as Faith blushed. "I'm Hope Mercanti."

"Faith Derevko." From the girl's olive skin she was from a warm climate. "Are you Italian?" Faith asked, it's just you're name…"

"Yes, I'm originally from Italy, I moved to America when I was younger. How about you? Derevko sounds very Russian."

Faith nodded. "It was my grandma's last name, she was from Russia. I never met her though."

"Why weren't you given your father's name or your mother's?" Hope asked as they sat in the rain.

"When I was born my mom hid from my father, and well her whole past, she'd changed her name, but she wanted to have my name as a family name, not the alias she used, so she gave me my grandmother's last name."

"Are you still hiding?" Hope asked.

"No. My mom stopped hiding four years ago, my godmother and I still had to…I can't believe I'm telling you all of this."

"It's ok." Hope placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger than someone you love. C'mon, I'll give you a ride home, your parents must be worried sick."

Hope linked in to Faith's arm and led her to her car. "You never answered my question." Faith broke the silence that had settled in the car as they drove.  
"I'm not a freak Faith, neither of us are. We're special, gifted, hell even cursed if you want to think like that, but we are not freaks."

"What's your gift?" Faith continued to ask questions.

"Unfortunately immortality is not one of my gifts…"

"One? You have more than one?" Hope laughed softly at her curiosity.

"I already showed you one on the harbour." Hope answered. "You went from being suicidal to sitting on a harbour in the rain talking to a stranger." At Faith's confused expression she explained her gifts. "I have telepathy, I can convey thoughts and feelings, even fears in to people."

"I can do that too!" Faith beamed, proud to have something in common with the slightly older girl.

"I can sense that." Hope nodded, "but it's weak, the power in you should be vast and glorious, yet you hide it and you don't practise or control it."

"I don't know how." Faith admitted.

"Just practise it regularly, you'll learn to control it and unleash even more power." Hope explained. "I also descry, it means I see the past and the future. It's quite a useful gift."

"I can kind of do that, but it's all blurry and it hurts so much…"

"That's because you don't practise enough, don't wait for the future or the past to come to you, seek it out, and block out the emotions of the vision, if you see someone die, or be hurt then you'll feel the pain…"

"How did you learn all this?" Faith couldn't stop her curiosity.

"I had some great teachers, the other gifted people I knew, the older ones taught me what I needed and let me discover the rest."

"Can you teach me?" Faith asked eager to not only advance her skills but also see the young woman again.

"I can't right now, I think this is the address you said." Hope handed Faith a card with her name and cell phone number on it. "Maybe another time. I'd hurry up and go inside though, I can feel a lot of anxiety coming from your house, there are a lot of people worried about you in there."

When Faith walked through the door both Lauren and Sydney took hold of her in a tight embrace. "Oh thank god, you're alright." Lauren sighed as they moved in to the living room where the others were.

"Where were you?" Sark asked. "It's not safe out there! Especially now you know about Rambaldi!" Sark's eyes softened as he looked down at his daughter that currently looked like a drowned rat.

"I needed some time to take everything in. I guess I'm ok now, but I need to know everything. Everything you guys know about Rambaldi, and why she wanted me alive."

"She wanted a family." Sark muttered. "It was what she always said, it was as though she cared more about having a family than what you could do…"

"Where is she?" Faith asked. "Will she come for me? Is that why we hid for so long?"

"No." Sydney answered. "She's…she's dead and she won't be coming after you. Ever."

"I thought she was gifted like me, I thought she was immortal." Everyone in the room looked guiltily at one another, remembering what they had done to Rambaldi, only Lauren and Faith did not know.

"We stopped her." Sydney answered for the rest of them. "She isn't dead, but she can't escape from her prison. People are trying to free her and that's why have to be careful, everyone has to look out for each other." As Faith hugged her mother she grasped the card in her pocket, how better could she look after her family than to see their future?


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **Faith sees Hope again to try and control her abilities.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

It had taken a few days for Sydney, Lauren and Sark to leave her on her own after the running away incident, she hadn't informed them of her almost attempted suicide or Hope. Sydney and Sark had gone to work and Lauren had accompanied them, her past status and connexions allowing her to join the CIA. They'd tried to get Faith to go to Mrs. Vaughn's for the day, but she eventually persuaded them to leave her on her own.

When she called Hope she had been more than happy to see Faith again and had given her the name of a restaurant to meet her in. As Faith neared the restaurant where Hope was sitting at one of the outside tables she noticed an attractive young man with her. They sat close and laughed at some joke the man had just told and Faith was tempted to walk away and not intrude when Hope looked up from talking with the man and smiled at her.

The young man eyed Faith warily and left the table before she arrived at it. "Hey." Faith smiled as she took a seat opposite Hope.

"Hello." Hope replied as she studied Faith in the light. "How are you feeling today?" Faith held up her arm, which her tank top left a clear view of, revealing a fading red mark where the cut should have been.

"I'm ok though, I just freaked out when I found out. Thank you for stopping me doing anything stupid though." Hope nodded and handed her a document wallet containing a handful of papers.

"It contains documents on various exercises you can do to increase your ability." Hope explained. "I want to teach you how to use your full potential Faith, but I need you to be able to control what you have already first. Call me when you can do all the things in that file." She rose to her feet and placed a hand on Faith's shoulder once she was behind her and bent down to whisper in her ear. "And no, he was not my boyfriend."

When she arrived home Faith had no time to look through the file as Lauren and Sydney were getting ready and informed her that they had a meeting they needed to attend and she'd be staying with the Vaughns. When she arrived she was introduced to Vaughn's twins, Abby and Sebastian.

Sebastian looked like a young Vaughn, and Abby had Vaughn's hair colour, his set jaw and his eyes and her mother's height and figure. After dinner and watching a few movies Faith followed Abby in to her room where she had a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Can I ask you something?" Abby asked as Faith looked around her room.   
"Shoot." Faith replied as she stopped on a family photo Abby had by her bed.

"Is it odd having two moms?"

"No, I only ever had them, no other family or anything, I love them and having two moms isn't that odd when it's all you've ever known."

"Are you…I mean…did having them around…" Faith laughed as Abby struggled with her words.

"No, having two bisexual mothers did not influence me in to being like them."

Abby looked down at the sleeping bag on the floor. "That doesn't look comfy." She commented. "I have a double bed." Faith smiled gratefully and after changing in to her pyjamas she slipped under the covers of Abby's bed. When Abby got in beside her Faith smiled before adding.

"My first girlfriend turned me. Goodnight." Faith smiled to herself as Abby snuggled up beside her and after ten minutes of faking sleep Faith felt Abby put her arm around her.

When Sydney arrived to pick up Faith she said goodbye and went straight outside to the car leaving Sydney and Vaughn alone. "Uh Syd, can we talk?"

"Sure." Vaughn closed the door after looking over his shoulder.

"Faith…um…Faith likes girls, and I'd appreciate it if you could maybe ask her to not like them in front of Abby…"

"Did Faith hit on Abby?" Sydney was confused.

"No. It's Abby, she…she told us she was bisexual and we don't want to encourage this phase, and we think she has a crush on Faith…" Sydney smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to Faith, ask her not to encourage it, but if Abby's bi then she'll like girls Vaughn."

When Sydney got back in the car Lauren and Faith asked what she'd been talking to Vaughn about. "Abby's bi, she a crush on Faith, Vaughn doesn't want you encouraging it."

"Hey I'm not the one with friendly hands!" Faith objected. "Can you guys drop me off home? I'll be in all day while you guys are at work."

"We really should think about getting you enrolled in a high school." Sydney argued as they neared home.

"I've already got my high school diploma. I was home schooled." Faith objected as she grabbed her things from the car. "I guess you wouldn't know that. Well see you guys later." Faith ran in to the house to start practising her abilities in peace.

Sydney sighed as Lauren placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. She doesn't blame you for not being there, she understands."

"It doesn't change the fact that my daughter is a stranger to me."

It took Faith almost two weeks to be able to perfect all of the exercises in control, but she had increased her abilities remarkably. She could even summon visions of the future without waiting for them to strike, but it was never more than a few seconds in to the future.

There was another reason for her joy at perfecting the exercises besides gaining control and being able to learn more about her gifts. Her teacher. After double-checking her appearance Faith headed to the address Hope had given her and nervously waited on the front porch. As she stood waiting for Hope to open the door she developed a feeling of unease in her stomach and she moved off the porch as she had a vision of a knife falling from above. Just as she landed on the ground after jumping off the porch the string holding a knife suspended above her head snapped.

"Congratulations, you're ready." Hope stood by the door smiling warmly.

"You could have killed me!" Faith shouted as she walked back up to the front door.

"You're immortal."

"Not the point! It'd still of hurt!" Hope sighed and took hold of Faith's hand to lead her in to the house.

"I'm sorry, I was just testing you. C'mon I've got a lot to show you." Hope led her down in to the basement, which was painted in warm and calming red colours with a soft, shaggy carpet that Faith had the urge to walk on barefoot. Hope laughed.

"Feel free to take your sneakers off." Faith blushed at being caught out.

"Do you always invade people's private thoughts?" Faith replied, trying to challenge her.

"Yes, you're just jealous because you can't read mine." Hope shot back with a grin.

She sat down on the carpet with her legs crossed and her hands resting on her knees, she gestured for Faith to do the same. "So what are we doing?"

"Meditating." Hope replied.

"I don't know how."

"Close your eyes, clear your mind and stay quiet." Hope answered. "Once you've cleared your mind try and summon a vision of the future." Faith did as she was told and after a few minutes she started to see an image of the future.

She was tired, angry, hurt. She wanted to hurt someone, anyone, it didn't matter she just wanted to cause pain to make hers go away. There were people all around, but the one in front of her caught her eye. There was a familiarity between them, a bond she could feel it. The woman's pale blue eyes looked identical to her own and the look of love in them was unmistakable. "Not long now sweetheart." She smiled and a wave of terror and anger spread over Faith.

She screamed and when she opened her eyes she found Hope pinning her down on the floor, panting breathlessly in an attempt to catch her breath. "F-Faith, it's o-ok…you're safe." Faith looked around and realised she must have been in a deep vision and acted it out. The blood dripping from Hope's lip scared her more than the vision had.

"It's ok Faith." She soothed as she held the sobbing girl in her arms. "You're safe now."

"What…what was that?" Faith choked out. "The woman in my vision. Will that happen?"

"No." Hope asked. "It's alright, you just had a nightmare, you mustn't have cleared your mind properly. I'll take you home and we'll start again tomorrow." Faith clung to Faith as they made their way out of the house and to Hope's car, but even in the Californian midday sun Faith was still shaking.

After the younger girl was safely home Hope took out her cell phone and dialled the number for the young man she had been at the restaurant with. "She had the vision, saw Rambaldi. Everything is going accordingly."


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **Rambaldi's followers grow closer to restoring her and Hope is not all that she seems.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

When Hope opened her front door she found her long time friend standing on her doorstep. She had not seen him since the restaurant when she had been meeting Faith, but after she had called him to inform him of Faith's progress and her vision he insisted on talking face to face.

"Entrare il mio vecchio amico. Abbiamo molto di discutere." Hope stepped aside to let him in after greeting him.

"It's good to hear the old language." He smiled. "And yes, we do have a lot to talk about. When the girl, Faith, came to the restaurant, I felt your aura Hope. You're interest in this girl is more than just for our plan to succeed."

"Taddeo!" She objected. "Do you take me for a fool? I'm not growing attached. I'm using her so as to achieve our goals, nothing more." She only called him by his birth name, Taddeo, when she was lecturing him or pulling rank. "Tad, trust me. Faith means nothing more to me than a means to an end."

Michael Vaughn sat with his daughter in an all night diner drinking milkshake at almost one in the morning. He'd been on a CIA mission for two days and had agreed to spend some time with Abby, regardless of the hour.

"You and Faith seem to be getting on pretty well…"

"Dad, stop probing." Abby objected as she twirled her straw around idly. "I have a crush on Faith, big deal."

"I can understand you know." Vaughn sighed. "She is Sydney's daughter. When I first met Sydney she took my breath away without saying a word. She was tired, bleeding, missing some teeth and had bright red hair, but that didn't stop her being beautiful. The Derevko women have a way of seducing people without even trying. Faith's no different…Abby get up normally and head for the counter, get talking to a waitress or order something, just act naturally."

"What's going on Dad?"

"Abby please. If anything happens call your mother." Abby did as she was told and started taking her time in placing an order, all the while glancing back at her father and the man who had sat down opposite him.

"You know why I am here?" The man asked as he examined the menu casually. Vaughn nodded. "Good. If you do not give me the key, the combination and the location of the box then I will be forced to introduce myself to your daughter." Vaughn's gaze darted to Abby where two men sat on either side of the counter where she stood and he saw the Rambaldi sign on the back of their necks.

He couldn't give up another part of Rambaldi to the enemy. They already had two pieces, although they didn't have the most important pieces as Sark and Sydney still had them kept safely hidden. If he gave up his piece it would help them get one step closer to bringing Rambaldi back, and if he didn't then he could lose his daughter, or have her exposed to the world of pain and deceit he had tried so hard to keep her away from. With one last glance at Abby h sighed and took the key from around his neck and scribbled the combination down on to the napkin. Sydney would understand; if it were Faith she'd understand. He called Abby over and when she was safely sat beside him and his hand was on his gun he said the location. "It's in Sydney, Australia. Buried in Hyde Park. There's a sign pointing to the Archibald memorial fountain, it's buried under there." The man laughed slightly before getting to his feet.

"Sydney, that's quite ironic. Goodbye Agent Vaughn. If this information is not correct then we will be in touch with your daughter soon."

The second the men left Vaughn grabbed Abby's hand and dragged her to the car where he took out his cell phone and drove towards the CIA building. " Jack, Rambaldi followers have the location of my piece and the necessary equipment…what do you mean Director Bristow isn't there? He hasn't turned up since last night? Oh no. Call agents Bristow, Sark, and Reed immediately. Tell them there's a code red. " Vaughn slammed his foot on to the accelerator as Abby sat confused and frightened in the passenger seat. She had never seen her father so pale or so close to breaking down in floods of tears.

Jack Bristow was exhausted. He was bloody, bruised and beaten and had been tortured for hours on end by Rambaldi loyalists seeking his piece of Rambaldi. He hung from chains suspended to the ceiling and as his arms ached and his legs felt like lead weights he knew this wouldn't end. He couldn't give them what they wanted. He wouldn't. He would protect his daughter and granddaughter with his last breath, regardless of how much pain he was in or how much of his blood now soaked his clothes.

They had given him truth serum but it had not worked, he wasn't a rookie, there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't take the counteragent to the well used truth serum.

When the door to his cell opened he found Sydney creeping in and she quickly ran to him. "Dad, it's Sydney. I'm gonna get you out of her, ok? Did you tell them anything?" He shook his head with what little strength he had.

"I'll never tell them."

"Oh really?" His torturer walked in dragging a young woman behind him. When he pushed the girl down in front of Jack and Sydney they saw it was Faith and he kept his gun trained on her.  
"No!" Sydney dived forward but was shot in the knee and fell to the ground in agony.

"If you do not tell me I will kill your granddaughter, slowly and painfully, before your own eyes."

"She's important to Rambaldi, you'd never kill her." The torturer laughed and shook his head.

"No, Director Bristow. Your daughter is important to Milo Rambaldi, the child is easily replaceable." He took the safety off the gun and aimed at Faith. "Now give us what we want or you will lose your grandchild." As he stared in to Faith's terrified eyes Jack sighed and nodded.

"The key is in a safety deposit box in Whittenburg, box 1062. The combination is 164766. The box containing Rambaldi is in London, it's buried in the Thames River, two miles south of the Castle Eaton Bridge…" Jack shuddered as icy cold water was thrown over him. He looked around frantically and found none of his family present, only his torturer.

"Thank you Director Bristow. We knew truth serum would not work, but a hallucinogen did quiet nicely."

The chains around his wrists were released and he crumpled to the floor, unable to move from pain and exhaustion. "You are free to go, by the time you can move no one will be left here, but do not mistake this as freedom Jack. When Rambaldi is returned, you will think of today as a summer vacation!"

By the time Sydney and Lauren arrived at the CIA building the news of Vaughn and Jack's encounters with the Rambaldi supporters had reached them and Sydney frantically tried to contact Sark. After phoning every contact number she had for him Sydney drove to Sark's apartment with Lauren and Vaughn and when they arrived they found the door wide open and the front room trashed from a struggle. "They have her body." Vaughn sighed.

"They still need the head." Sydney argued. "And there's no way they're getting it. Lauren, we'll go get Faith. You're both going in a CIA safe house. Tonight."

It was almost two in the morning when Faith's cell phone rang and she groped around her bedside cabinet in the dark to locate it. "Hello?" She murmured in to the phone as she lay back down in bed and stared at her watch.

"Faith, it's Hope."

"It's like two in the morning Hope!" Faith groaned down the phone.

"I know, there's something I have to teach you and it needs to be tonight, as soon as possible, ok?" Faith grumbled a yes and hung up to get ready.

She quietly crept to her parent's room and found neither of them in bed. Presuming they were on a mission she slipped out in to the cold night heading towards Hope's house.

When she knocked on the door Hope answered immediately and grabbed her hand to lead her in to the house and down in to the basement. The young man she had met only twice, once from the restaurant and once when he had been visiting Hope was standing in the middle of the dimly lit room as Faith reached the bottom step and walked a little further in. "So what is it you need to teach me at half two in the morning? With Tad here?" Faith asked, a light and teasing tone in her voice. Taddeo smiled as he walked closer to Faith. "Non uscire a due nella mattina quando nessuno sa dove lei va." He spoke in Italian like he always did, Faith was not sure if he could speak English.

"What'd he say?" Faith asked, staring Tad in the eye as she spoke.

"He said don't go out at two in the morning when no one knows where you're going." Faith felt a sharp blow to the back of her head and she lurched forward in to Tad's waiting arms as her vision became clouded and her eyes began to close. "I'm sorry Faith." Hope struck her again and everything went dark.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **When Sydney finds Faith missing she knows she's failed her daughter.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **This is set four years after 'Esoteric' and if you haven't read the first story you will be very lost.

When Sydney arrived home and found Faith gone she crumbled inside, she didn't need to phone her or any of her friends to know that she would not be able to find her. She sat in Faith's room staring blankly at where her sleeping daughter had been a few hours earlier. When Lauren returned to the room after making a few phone calls she confirmed that no one knew where Faith was. "I failed." Sydney choked out, tears starting to fall. "I spent all of her life trying to protect her and I still failed. They have her, they'll use her to get me to give them Rambaldi's head and then it'll be over. We'll lose."

"That won't happen." Lauren objected, but she had not been able to keep her voice from cracking as she said so. Sydney stared up at her fiancé and the tears flowed freely.

"Faith's gone. We've already lost."

When Faith woke up she was lying on a bed in the middle of a well-furnished room. She quickly assessed the situation, she had seen all of the rooms in Hope's house, except Hope's bedroom, if she was still at the house she had a chance, if they'd taken her somewhere then she was on her own. She made her way to the window she found herself on a balcony over looking a vast garden below her. There was far too much greenery for her to still be in LA. When the door opened and Hope walked in Faith went in to full defensive mode and she had always felt the best defence was a good offence. She charged at Hope, but the slightly older woman moved out of the way at the last minute and grabbed Faith by the collar of her shirt before throwing her backwards so that she landed on the bed. "Behave Faith."

Faith practically growled as she jumped up to punch Hope, but once again she effortlessly dodged it. Faith tried for a kick, a sequence of punches, a swipe, a punch to the gut, but none of them landed and after a few minutes of stopping Faith's attacks Hope grew impatient and pushed her down on to the bed, using her weight to pin her down while her hands reached for something in the drawer beside the bed. She took out a shackle and attached one end to Faith's foot and the other to the bottom bedpost.

She sighed as Faith pushed her away and started pulling madly on the chain. She grabbed hold of her chin and forced her to stare her in the eyes. She had taught Faith to use her abilities; even shown her how to guard herself from psychic intrusion and attacks, but Faith would never be as powerful as Hope after only a few weeks of lessons. Faith instantly calmed as Hope talked to her.

"Everything is fine Faith, it's going to be ok. You're safe. You can trust me. You know that you trust me Faith. Now be a good girl and lie down." Faith lay down on Hope's command and she sighed as she looked over to Taddeo who stood silently at the door.

"My parents are happy to have you here Hope, the girl they are not so happy about, but they understand the need, they feel the same as I do when it comes to Rambaldi." Hope nodded and stood up to leave Faith.

"It's good to be home." Hope smiled as she walked down in to the garden where Tad had set two cups of coffee on the garden table. "I've missed Italy so much. No matter how long I stay in America it can never feel like home."


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **_She's my prisoner, not my friend. It's not my job to stop her crying."_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **I'm back in school now, so it's taken me a while to try and find the time to update, and it's a little short.

"She's crying." Tad informed Hope as he entered her room on the third night of Faith's abduction. Hope looked up from the book she was reading and sighed.

"She's my prisoner, not my friend. It's not my job to stop her crying." Tad's brow rose questioningly.

"My? You mean our. The faction were the ones who wanted to take her, as I recall you spent hours trying to get them to change their minds, and up until after the first night you brought her here, you've always been overly… compassionate with Faith. What's changed?"

"'Our' aims relate to Rambaldi only, Faith is merely a means to an end, she's nothing to me…"

"You care about her…a lot." Tad observed as he leant against her doorframe, staring her defiantly in the eye.

"You know nothing of me Taddeo. You've known me only six years, that's nothing compared to the rest of my life. So don't pretend you understand me." He sighed as he glanced towards the room at the end of the corridor where Faith's muffled sobs could be heard.

"I know you well enough, Hope." He left without another word, leaving Hope in peace as she read.

After reading the same line twenty times Hope gave up and tossed the book aside. "Damn you." She muttered, hating that Tad had been right as she unlocked Faith's door and closed it behind her.

"Faith…" Hope had no time to register the teenage girl barrelling in to her before she hit the floor. Faith didn't stop for revenge or a fight; she just carried on towards the door, until Hope grabbed her ankle from her position on the floor, sending Faith crashing to the same level. Faith's legs kicked frantically as she tried to flee from Hope, all of her trust in the other girl had gone and after three days she was relying only on what her parents had taught her, escape at all costs.

Hope managed to grab hold of both of her legs and pull her back away from the door and nearer to her so that she could pin her down. After a few moments of struggling Hope had Faith's arms pinned above her head with her weight pushing down on the younger girl. "Stop struggling!" Hope growled, frantically trying to calm the woman down using her own abilities, but Faith was too frantic to be influenced, she was running on primal instinct and Hope knew there was only one way to calm her down. She let go of one of Faith's arm for only an instant and delivered a punch to Faith's jaw. Faith froze suddenly, staring up at the woman she had once trusted.

Her lip was swollen and cracked, allowing a small stream of blood to flow down her chin. "Don't make me hurt you Faith." Hope pleaded as she kept the girl pinned down. "It doesn't have to be this way!"

"Yeah." Faith looked away, avoiding Hope's gaze as she spoke. "It does."

Three simple words quashed Hope. An unspoken threat had been passed on to her. Faith know considered her the enemy, and their past was irrelevant. Defeated, Hope stood up leaving Faith on the ground still staring away from her.

"I'm sorry Faith, but my duty…my destiny, will not be altered just because of some girl who wanted to be my friend." With that she left and Faith finally allowed herself to cry. The pain from her lip and completely losing Hope was too much and as she curled up in to a foetal position on the floor she remained there, shedding her final tears. Things would change in the morning.

"Mr. Sark." Julian paused as he stood by his car door. He turned around to find Fabian Marozzi standing before him, Rambaldi's right hand man whom he had met several times while working with Rambaldi.  
"I should have known you'd be the one pulling the strings. If you're here for my contribution of Rambaldi then I'm afraid you will be leaving empty handed. If Rambaldi is resurrected then my daughter will be at risk, I will never allow that to happen."

"Very well." Marozzi nodded and went to leave. Sark knew it was too easy, and so when he stopped walking and turned around to face him it was expected. "Would you like me to give a message to your daughter?" Marozzi grinned as Sark paled and pulled his gun out on him. Sark grabbed him and roughly shoved him against his car.  
"Where is my daughter you bastard!"

Marozzi pushed Sark away, keeping his smug grin in place. "If you would like her back then bring your part of Rambaldi to this address tomorrow at nine. He slipped a piece of paper with the address on in to Sark's pocket before walking towards his own car. "Oh, and if you involve the CIA or anyone else, then I will kill your daughter and I will mail her back to you piece by piece. Good bye Mr Sark, it is a shame you did not stay loyal to us, Rambaldi could have given you everything you ever wanted."

"She did." He whispered thinking of his daughter and how close he had become to her mother.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **As Sydney and Sark prepare to trade with Morazzi, Hope confronts Faith.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **

Chapter 9

Sydney and Sark stood with the Rambaldi box and waited for Morazzi to show up. "They won't give us Faith back will they?" Sydney asked as she leant against Sark's car.

"Probably not, no. We'll trace the box if they don't bring her with them. We'll get our daughter back." He placed his hand on her shoulder. Sydney pulled away, and sighed at Sark's confused expression.

"Nothing's changed Julian. We're friends, close friends, but having Faith in our lives doesn't bring us any closer, it doesn't make us a family. Lauren and Faith are my family. Lauren raised Faith for seventeen years, and I love her. You can be in Faith's life and you can be in mine, but you can't take Lauren's place."

Sark nodded keeping his gaze away from Sydney's. "I have always wanted family. And maybe it was because of my destiny being forced on me, but from the first moment I met you I wanted you to be the mother of my children." As approaching headlights disturbed the darkness Sydney looked Sark in the eye bearing a weak smile.

"You always intrigued me Sark, maybe if things had have been different…"

"If Lauren hadn't of returned." Sark interrupted and approached the parked car.

"Mr Sark." Morazzi greeted him and then turned to Sydney with a sneer. "When Rambaldi returns she will slaughter your co-conspirators in front of you and you'll live with the memories fir eternity, which is how long you'll be by her side, your rightful place."

Before Sark could react Sydney delivered a punch to Morazzi's jaw, sending him jerking backwards. "Just give me my daughter you son of a bitch!" With a wave of his hand over a dozen armed men stepped from the shadows and surrounded them.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have punched him." Sark's dry comment reminded her of the old Sark, the one who had once been on Morazzi's side, she hoped she'd never meet that man again.

Several of the men stepped forward to secure the box, causing Sydney to move to stop them. "Miss Bristow, you may be immortal, but Mr Sark is not. If you don't hand over the box you will lose not only your daughter but her father as well." After they took the box away Sydney turned to Morazzi.  
"Where's Faith?"

As Faith sat in the room she had occupied for days the door opened revealing Hope. "I know who you work for." Faith informed her as she stood by the bed. "Rambaldi."

Hope sat down beside Faith and looked solemnly at the younger woman. "What do you know of Rambaldi?"

"She's dangerous and evil. She's immortal like me, but my parents took care of her, they defeated her. You want Rambaldi back so you took me to make them tell you where they have her imprisoned…"

"Rambaldi is in bits scattered throughout the world, it's the only prison that could ever hold her. And she's more than dangerous. She is manipulative, deceitful and sadistic and you're her daughter, everything she is in your blood. I don't work for Rambaldi, I have devoted my life to making sure she doesn't achieve her end game and now she has. You exist."

"You're going to kill me aren't you?" Faith asked, still in shock from the thought of being like Rambaldi. Hope's gaze dropped at the question.

"If it comes to killing you then I will do it…"

"We do not have her." Morazzi informed Sydney as he stood by his car. "An order devoted to opposing Rambaldi has her, she is surely dead by now."


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **_"If it comes to killing you then I will do it…"_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **It's been a while since I updated, but school and work have kept me busy for a while and I haven't had much time to write.

Chapter 10

"…with a heavy heart." Hope looked up to meet Faith's tearful eyes. "You're Rambaldi's child, you should be evil and tainted. I've always planned on killing you if you ever came in to being, but you're nothing like Rambaldi. You're so sweet and innocent, how can something so good come from Rambaldi?" Hope leant in and placed a tentative kiss on Faith's lips. Faith felt all of the desire she had felt for her come fleeing back. When Faith pushed Hope down, effectively straddling her, she stiffened, getting ready to fight, but relaxed after Faith deepened the kiss.

"I want you." Faith muttered breathlessly as Hope kissed her neck while wrapping her arms around her to pull her closer.

"Not as badly as I've wanted you." Hope purred in to her ear before taking her lips again.

When Hope opened her eyes she found Tad standing over her. She pulled the covers around her and glanced down at the pile of clothes on the floor, Faith's were missing. Hope looked over her shoulder and found she wasn't there. "Where is she?"

Tad handed Hope her shirt. "She's gone, she's no where in the house or the grounds. Rambaldi's daughter is free and roaming around her mother's hometown. Well done."

Hope scowled and after pulling on her shirt she grabbed her pants. "Get all your contacts to be on the look out for her. Watch the airports, the docks, everything. She has no money, no nothing. She won't get far."

Faith sat down on a bench in the town centre she had walked to from Tad's family estate. The Italian sun was beating down on her and she felt exhausted and dehydrated as she looked around the immediate area. She caught sight of a payphone and headed over to it.

She was about to make a collect call when her fingers paused on the buttons. Her attention was drawn to a side road. She put the phone down and headed along the road with no explanation except the instinct in her gut. After weaving her way through old streets and winding roads she found herself standing in a graveyard. Looking down at the gravestone that meant nothing to her she knew there was a reason she felt drawn to it.

She searched the graveyard and found an old shed. She took one of the rusty shovels and returned to the grave. She was almost eight feet down when the shovel hit something and the sound of metal scrapping metal punctured the morning silence. She tossed the shovel aside and pawed at the last of the dirt until s large metal box was revealed. She pushed it up and out of the grave and was about to pull herself out when a voice called out. "Thank you Faith. You've saved us a lot of time." Faith spun around to face the voice, regretting throwing the spade out of the grave.

"Who are you people?" Faith growled as a group of men surrounded the grave.

"We're friend's of your mother." He held up a gun and pointed it at her. Faith had reason to fear it, not because she would stay dead from a bullet for long, but because it was a tranquilliser gun and if she was unconscious she couldn't fight them. "You'll be meeting her very soon."

"Actually she won't." As a bullet tore through the man's abdomen the others with him turned to face Hope. They attacked quickly and without plan, except to eliminate the dangerous woman.

Faith jumped from the grave quickly as Hope was surrounded by armed men. "Leave her alone!" Faith screamed and ran to her side as the men moved in. She might have been immortal, but Hope was not. The bullets in their guns could end her life. "I'll go with you just leave her alone!"

"Faith, you don't understand…" Hope objected but the sound of a gunshot filled the air drowning out her words. Faith's eyes widened as the other girl stumbled back from the force of the bullet and looked down at the blood that soaked her chest with confusion.

She dropped to her knees before Faith could catch her. The younger girl tried to get to her but the men grabbed her and she felt a sharp pain in her neck as the tranquilliser entered her. She tried to fight it, tried to fight the men and the pain, just to get to Hope, to save her, but she couldn't and as painful as that realisation was it didn't hurt as much as knowing that if Faith hadn't of ran then Hope wouldn't be lying on the ground with her life slipping away.

The last thing she saw as her eyes slid closed was Hope copying her. Not for the first time in her life Faith wished her life would end.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **When Hope wakes up she doesn't find the person she expects in her room.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **It's been a while since I updated, but school and work have kept me busy for a while and I haven't had much time to write.

Chapter 11

When she awoke Faith found herself lying on cold stone floor with a shackle on her ankle keeping her in place. There were dozens of men and women around her in a circle and six large metal boxes a few feet in front of her. The boxes seemed to hum and shake with energy, trying to pull one another closer, but what Faith saw on the other side of the boxes caught her full attention.

"Hope!" She screamed and found the young woman looking up at her. Her shirt was still torn and bloodstained from the bullet but the hole that had been in her chest was no longer there. "H-how? You should be…you lied." It dawned on Faith why Hope was not dead from the fatal shot. "You are immortal." Hope nodded weakly.

"I'm sorry." Hope replied, but her voice was stern.

"It's ok, you didn't know me from Adam back then, it hurts that you didn't tell me sometime though, like…last night."

Hope shook her head as Fabian Marozzi stood by the boxes with five other followers who all held keys to the boxes. "No Faith. I'm sorry I failed you. And I'm sorry for what needs to be done."

Faith was given no time to ask what she meant as six pieces of a human body were taken from the boxes. The sight of the preserved flesh, still slimy from the remains of the blood that had once pumped through them was enough to make her feel sick and sit in stunned silence as the parts were lain down on a large ornate table. They seemed to pull closer to one another even as they were laid down and after only a few moments the body of Milo Rambaldi was reformed and after a minute or two the body began to move. Faith sat astonished as a beautiful young woman rose from the table and bypassing Marozzi she stood before Faith.

"Who is this?" Rambaldi asked, her voice soft and pensive. "I feel like I know her. Why is she here?" Marozzi stood beside his master and smiled.

"You're daughter."

Rambaldi stared at the dark haired teenage girl before her and met her pale blue gaze, identical to both hers and Sark's. She nodded. "My daughter. At last I have you back." Marozzi knelt down and unlocked the shackle around her ankle. Faith immediately got to her feet and as Rambaldi tried to caress her cheek she delivered a hard right hook to the woman's jaw.

"You're not my mother!" She screamed. Marozzi went to restrain her but Rambaldi stopped her.

"Faith, I am your mother, without me you wouldn't exist."

"What kind of mother tries to make another child to replace you the second they think you're dead?" Faith asked furiously.

"Faith, when you found out about me, found that I was dead, did you care?"

"No!"

She realised her own mistake once the words left her mouth. "I didn't know." Faith objected. "You were just a name. I'd never met you before, why would I care?"

"Exactly." Rambaldi replied. "Sydney ran before you were born. I never got the chance to even see you as a child and that hurt me more than you could ever imagine, but I needed you, my child, impregnating Sydney again was the only way I could get a part of you back. You can't blame me for that."

"Faith!" Hope shouted from behind Rambaldi, catching her attention. "She's evil. Don't listen to her, she wants to use you!" Faith became defensive again and Rambaldi scowled.

"Hope, my old _friend. _I'm surprised my daughter is still in existence if you know of her. She's the evil one Faith, the one who wants to use you, to gain your trust to kill you when your back is turned."

Faith was confused by everyone trying to tell her what was right and Rambaldi could see it. "Faith." She stood before her daughter and looked in to her pale blue eyes. "It's ok, you'll see the truth sweetheart. I have one last thing to give you." Faith gasped as Rambaldi took hold of her head and forced her to look her in the eye. She could feel something trying to force its way inside of her mind and as much as she resisted it started to seep in until it flowed freely. When it ended she dropped to her knees panting for breath.

"Faith, how do you feel?" Rambaldi asked as she stood above her daughter.

"Amazing mother." Faith grinned as she rose to her feet, her pale blue eyes were darker and her aura was no longer innocent and pure like it had been only moments before. Now Hope could only feel malice and heartlessness from her.

"I'm truly sorry Faith." Hope sighed as Faith approached her and knelt beside her.

"Don't be." Faith smirked. "I've never felt so alive…so free. I owe that to you Hope."

"No." Hope's own gaze darkened and in moments her complete attitude towards Faith had changed. "I'm sorry I have to kill you now." Faith laughed as she punched her in the still tender area where the bullet had entered, causing her to crumple and gasp on the floor for breath.

"Kill me?" Faith laughed. "You know yesterday, when I was a pathetic scared little girl, I forgot something. I'm immortal. I can't die!"

Hope shook her head. "You're still a foolish little girl Faith. I guess mother dearest forgot to mention something to you. There is one thing in this world that can kill immortals."

"La lamierina di speranza." Rambaldi interrupted before walking over to stand by her daughter. "The blade of Hope. Something she lost a long time ago. Marozzi give Faith any room of the house that she chooses and take Hope …"

"No." Faith objected. "I want her." Rambaldi nodded.

"Then she's yours. You can have anything you want Faith, anything at all."

"Thank you mother." Faith smiled as Rambaldi held her close and looked down at the pain spreading on Hope's face.

After Faith chose one of the largest rooms on the west wing of the house Marozzi threw Hope in to a corner of the room and attached a chain from the large wooden bed post and placed the other end around Hope's neck in a slipknot. If she tried to escape she would choke. With a bow towards Faith he left the two women alone.

"How old are you?" Faith asked as she settled herself down on the lavish bed. Hope didn't answer. She stared blankly ahead and tried to force back the tears that threatened to fall. She'd gotten too close and when the inevitable had happened she hadn't been prepared.

"Answer me!" Faith took hold of the chain and yanked it so that Hope was pulled forward and the chain tightened. She gasped for air and tried to slacken the chain but Faith kept a tight grip on it. Eventually Hope gave up trying and she scrambled over to where Faith sat on the bed. She let go of the chain and pulled it free slightly until it hit the link that was positioned side wards stopping the chain from being removed.

Hope coughed and spluttered for air, she may have been immortal but that didn't make being choked a picnic. Faith took her arm and pulled her up on to the bed beside her where she lay still, panting for breath. "I'm…I was born three years after your mother."

"Where were you born?" Faith asked as she settled on the bed beside Hope.

"Here, in this town. Just like Rambaldi."

"Why did you sleep with me?" The question threw Hope and she couldn't give an answer. She looked away and blushed. "Oh, c'mon Hope, you weren't this shy last night." Faith's fingers trailed along Hope's stomach beneath her shirt.

"I'm sorry I ran." Faith's words held no sincerity as her hand travelled down to the waistline of Hope's jeans.

"I didn't expect to be making you breakfast, or watching you as you slept. You ran, you would have been a fool not to. And I slept with you to make you calm down, to stop your damn crying for five minutes, so please Faith, get your hands the hell out of my trousers, because after four hundred years and countless men and women you're not even a dot on my radar."

The slap was hard and painful but even as her skin tingled Hope was grinning. "What's wrong Faith? Can't take the truth? Well here it is, the world is a big bad place and if it doesn't screw you it'll screw you over, maybe both. So why did you let me have you Faith, huh? Was it a schoolgirl crush or do you actually have feelings for me? Is it Love? Either way it's pathetic."

Faith's eyes seemed to glaze over at the word love. Tears began to form in her eyes and she looked away. "What would you know of love?" She grabbed the chain and yanked Hope closer so that her face was only inches away from hers. "And don't be all high and mighty thinking you were my first, and I've had better." Faith smirked but Hope wasn't fazed.

"See now that's pathetic, I thought you were crap because it was your first…" Hope didn't get the words out as Faith's lips crushed against hers.

She winced as Faith bit down on her lower lip causing blood to seep in to her mouth. The coppery taste of blood mingled with the other girl's taste and Hope was lost in the feeling of having Faith's lips on hers once more.

"Something to remember me by." She muttered in her ear before pulling on the chain and claiming Hope's lips again. Hope could no longer breath, the chain was crushed against her trachea and Faith's lips blocked any air she could have breathed in.

She was choking, growing faint and dizzy but Hope knew it wasn't all down to the chain around her neck. Everywhere Faith touched her felt on fire as she kissed her even though she was close to passing out. Hope hadn't felt so alive in almost a hundred years.

As the room grew distant and she could hear the blood rushing in her head she knew she was close to passing out and she welcomed it with open arms as Faith's tongue teased her own.

When Hope's eyes opened she was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. It was not the one in Faith's room, of that she was certain. She tried to sit up, but found her hands bound with duck tape. It seemed a little too clichéd, even for a novice to taking prisoners like Faith. She paused and closed her eyes again as she heard voices approaching and entering whatever room she was in.

"She'll be waking soon." A male voice.

"What do we do with her?" A female voice this time with a British accent.

"She's more than likely a Rambaldi follower, it's a trap." The male voice replied and Hope heard a woman sigh.

"The not said that the girl could explain everything and it was signed by Faith." Another female voice answered, this one was American, and it sounded fatigued and burdened.

"How do you know? The last time you saw Faith write was probably before she could spell eight letter words." The male voice sounded tired too and Hope guessed the argument had been going on for some time.

"I know!" The British voice interjected. "It's Faith's writing, but I don't think they're her words, they're just so…"

"Cold." The other female voice finished. "If they are her own words then something is wrong."

"We should wake her up, find out what she knows." The male voice spoke again.

"It could be dangerous." The British woman objected.

"Lauren, she's what, nineteen, twenty tops?" The man argued. "How dangerous can she be?"

He had no idea just how dangerous Hope, the four hundred and odd year old immortal. Hope opened her eyes slightly and concentrated on the tape on her wrists. It began to slowly unwind and when it was only one layer keeping her hands together, Childs play to break free from, with the rest hidden in her hands she opened her eyes and groaned, catching the attention of the people in the room.

Quickly three adults came in to her view. A blonde woman, a man and a dark haired woman. "You were unconscious when you got here, someone left you with a note. You know where my daughter is and I want to know now!" The woman's tone left no room for argument and Hope nodded.

"I could make up some story about being an innocent victim, randomly abducted to deliver a note, but Faith is in danger and at present her safety takes precedence over my own."

"Where is she?" The blonde woman asked, desperation clearly showing in her voice.

"With Rambaldi…"

"That's impossible!" Sydney objected. "I have the last piece of Rambaldi and my key is right…" Sydney reached for a chain from around her neck and pulled out a small silver key. As she stared at it intently she noticed a foreign residue on it. "They copied it. Oh god, Rambaldi's alive and she had my daughter!"

"I can help you save her…"

"Who are you?" Sydney asked, anger replacing worry. "How do you know Faith?"

"My name is…not important. I met Faith many weeks ago, when she was about to commit suicide, the night she run away, fortunately I used my own gifts to stop her and later discovered she was immortal. I've been helping her to train her gifts."

"She has been showing off her control more." Lauren noted and Sydney frowned.

"What gifts do you have?"

"More or less the same as Faith's, but when hers come in to full force and are fully focused her gifts will rival my own. Release me and I swear I will help you save Faith…"

"We can't trust her!" The man interrupted causing Hope to sigh.

She pulled on the tape and it snapped, freeing her hands. She stood up staring Sydney in the eye. "I could have ran before any of you knew I was awake, even now I will get out of that door with very little effort. Whether you trust me or if you're with me or not I will save Faith. Sydney nodded and held out her hand.

"I have no idea who you are or what your interest in my daughter is, but right now you're our best shot at getting her back safely. So you're going to tell me everything you know and then we're going to get her back, if you betray me I will not hesitate to kill you, understood?"

Hope smiled as she stared Sydney down. "I see where Faith gets it from now." Hope pulled the torn tape from her wrists and looked down at the bloodstain on the once pure white shirt. Sydney's eyes were staring at the spot. "It isn't hers." She reassured her. "I need to make some calls to some of my contacts, could I use your phone and perhaps hinder on your hospitality more to acquire some fresh clothing?"

Sydney handed her the cell phone from in her pocket and then led her to Faith's room while Lauren and Sark waited in the living room. When she entered the room Hope gasped and clutched her head. A fierce vision tore through her skull. She saw blood, felt pain and heard screams of pain, Faith's screams. She clung to Sydney for support as countless emotions flooded her. Confusion, anger, hatred, love, despair. Some were fresh, but all were aged. The room was like a box of Faith's emotions and the second the door had opened they invaded Hope's mind. She raised her barriers to block them out, but her ears were filled with the sound of Faith's quiet sobs in the dead of night, when no one could hear.

"What's wrong?" Sydney asked, protective of her one change of regaining her daughter.

"A vision." Hope mumbled breathlessly. "Faith…all of her emotions are present, everything she felt while she was here and everything she brought, it's rather overwhelming."

Sydney looked at the tears that were threatening to fall from the girl's eyes. "That's not all is it?" Hope shook her head. Lying would do nothing to help Faith.

"No. I'm afraid it isn't. I always thought Rambaldi's child would be pure evil, as twisted as their mother. Faith was far from it, but Rambaldi awakened something dormant in Faith's brain, something she planted."

"What?" Sydney asked, growing increasingly concerned about her daughter.

"Evil."


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **Hope contacts the only person who can lead her to Faith.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **Just a short chapter, but I'm working on the next one now.

Chapter 12

"Evil." Sydney repeated. "That can't be possible, Faith is nothing like her…"

"I know." Hope agreed. "Rambaldi obviously took precautions in case she was not able to raise Faith, she planted evil that could be awakened no matter how innocent or virtuous Faith became."

"Can you reverse it?" Sydney asked. "With your gifts, if they're the same as Faith's then they're at least similar to Rambaldi's." Sydney looked desperate as she asked the question and when Hope averted her own gaze she knew the answer was not what she wanted.

"Maybe. Chances are slim but the longer it takes the slimmer they get."

Sydney thrust the phone in to Hope's hand. "Then start calling your contacts." She stormed out to inform Sark and Lauren of Hope's news and Hope threw the phone down and closed her eyes to make her own kind of call.

"Hello Hope." Rambaldi smiled as Hope appeared before her. "Faith informed me she'd sent you to Sydney, no doubt you've joined forces with her."

"Where are you?" Hope asked, cutting to the point.  
"I think it'd be more fun for you to find me Hope. We'll play hide and go seek, just like the good old days."

"We both know you want me to bring Sydney to you. So tell me where you and Faith are. Sydney and I will come and if we fail you'll get us both."

"Do you remember when you broke my heart?" Rambaldi smirked as a look of pain flashed on to Hope's face momentarily.

"The day after you broke mine." She replied bitterly. "Tell me where you are."

"No." Rambaldi objected. "Not yet."

When Hope returned with a grim expression after half an hour Sydney was straight on her. "Where is she?" hope shook her head.

"I don't know. I have powerful and knowledgeable links all across the world no one knows anything."

Sydney slammed her hand against the nearest wall and slumped against it with tears in her eyes. "Seventeen years of protecting her, for what?" Sydney sighed. "Rambaldi's won anyway, she has everything she wanted…"

"Not everything." Sark's voice is choked and everyone present knows he holding back tears, trying to remain strong for Sydney.

"She wanted you."

"No!" Hope interrupted as Sydney nodded in agreement, clarity showing in her gaze. "You're not using her as bait, that's what Rambaldi wants!"

"Then let's not keep her waiting." Sydney's expression was dark and murderous. "Where do you think she is?"

"In Italy, the mansion in her home town." Sark answered. "I've been there a few times. I can take you." Sydney nodded. "We leave in an hour." She walked off to her room to grab some supplies while Hope followed her protesting about Sydney's plan.

As Sark went to follow Lauren grabbed his arm in a less than friendly grip. "I've already lost my daughter, I won't lose Sydney too. If she doesn't come back I will hold you responsible."

Sark pulled his arm away and sneered. "She isn't your daughter Lauren and I can assure you that you won't lose Sydney to Rambaldi, but I can not guarantee that you will not lose her."

When Sydney walked back in she found Lauren and Sark staring each other down and she cleared her throat for their attention. "Sark, you're not coming. Stay here and look after Lauren."

"What?" both objected in unison.

"Hope's taking me to Rambaldi and you're looking after Lauren." Sydney replied calmly as thought talking to a child. "I'm getting Faith back and when I bring her back whatever is going on between you two better be dealt with, ok?"

Both Lauren and Sark remained silent and merely nodded. "Good. Hope." The young woman followed Sydney as they left the house, Sydney stopping to hug and kiss Lauren. "I love you. Remember that." She smiled as she pulled away to leave.

"Do you?" Lauren muttered under her breath. After so many years it was hard for her to be sure anymore.

When Hope returned with a grim expression after half an hour Sydney was straight on her. "Where is she?" hope shook her head.

"I don't know. I have powerful and knowledgeable links all across the world no one knows anything."

Sydney slammed her hand against the nearest wall and slumped against it with tears in her eyes. "Seventeen years of protecting her, for what?" Sydney sighed. "Rambaldi's won anyway, she has everything she wanted…"

"Not everything." Sark's voice is choked and everyone present knows he holding back tears, trying to remain strong for Sydney.

"She wanted you."

"No!" Hope interrupted as Sydney nodded in agreement, clarity showing in her gaze. "You're not using her as bait, that's what Rambaldi wants!"

"Then let's not keep her waiting." Sydney's expression was dark and murderous. "Where do you think she is?"

"In Italy, the mansion in her home town." Sark answered. "I've been there a few times. I can take you." Sydney nodded. "We leave in an hour." She walked off to her room to grab some supplies while Hope followed her protesting about Sydney's plan.

As Sark went to follow Lauren grabbed his arm in a less than friendly grip. "I've already lost my daughter, I won't lose Sydney too. If she doesn't come back I will hold you responsible."

Sark pulled his arm away and sneered. "She isn't your daughter Lauren and I can assure you that you won't lose Sydney to Rambaldi, but I can not guarantee that you will not lose her."

When Sydney walked back in she found Lauren and Sark staring each other down and she cleared her throat for their attention. "Sark, you're not coming. Stay here and look after Lauren."

"What?" both objected in unison.

"Hope's taking me to Rambaldi and you're looking after Lauren." Sydney replied calmly as thought talking to a child. "I'm getting Faith back and when I bring her back whatever is going on between you two better be dealt with, ok?"

Both Lauren and Sark remained silent and merely nodded. "Good. Hope." The young woman followed Sydney as they left the house, Sydney stopping to hug and kiss Lauren. "I love you. Remember that." She smiled as she pulled away to leave.

"Do you?" Lauren muttered under her breath. After so many years it was hard for her to be sure anymore.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **Hope contacts the only person who can lead her to Faith.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **Just a short chapter, but I'm working on the next one now.

Chapter 13

When Hope arrived at Tad's parent's house with Sydney in toe he was not happy about it, but neither he nor his parents would turn away an old family friend, especially Hope.

"Do you have a plan?" Tad asked after Hope had explained the situation.

"Yeah, it goes along the lines of breaking in to the Rambaldi mansion, knocking Faith out and taking her back to America." Sydney replied as she stood loading her gun. Tad snorted, but lost his sarcastic look when he looked to Hope.

"That's your plan isn't it?"

"It's all we have. The longer Faith is around Rambaldi the slimmer her chance or salvation becomes."

"Evil can not be saved." Taddeo's father stood by the doorway, a frown on his face. "This you well know Hope. You've tried to save evil before, look where it got you." Hope frowned and shook her head.

"It's different this time. I'm not a child anymore." She argued as she headed to the doorway with Sydney behind her.

"Let me help." The old man pleaded. Hope shook her head.

"You'll only be a hindrance old man."

He smiled at Hope's words and sighed. "Ah but to be a young man again. Able bodied and strong willed." Hope nodded as she embraced him.

"You were invaluable in the old days my friend. But now I have the best the CIA can offer…"

"Be careful." He whispered in her ear before she pulled back and he stepped aside to let her pass with Sydney following closely behind her.

"How old are you?" Sydney quizzed as they reached the front door. Hope turned to look at her with youthful eyes that contained an age of wisdom.

"Old enough."

Rambaldi watched as Faith beat two men she'd pulled off the streets to a bloody pulp and left them writhing in agony on the stone floor. "It's quite amusing." Faith turned to face her mother wearing a scowl. "I show you evil and you suddenly think you're invincible."

Faith walked up to Rambaldi, wearing a smirk. "What's amusing is that you think you awakened some deep dark evil in me…well I've got news for you, it wasn't buried that deep and it's been here before."

Rambaldi frowned as her daughter left the courtyard and headed up to her bedroom. "What do you know of evil child?" She shouted to her back. Faith stopped on the top stair.

"More than you know mother."

When Hope stopped the car she and Sydney had rented they were outside an old grand house, the only building Sydney had seen for miles. "What's your plan for infiltration?" Sydney asked as Hope got out of the car and stared intently at the building as though she were planning something. Taking in a deep breath she started towards the front door. "Nice plan."

When the door was opened Rambaldi appeared to be expecting Hope and opened the door all the way to allow the two women in to her house. Sydney was practically stuck to Hope as they followed Rambaldi in to a large living room.

"Did you know?" Rambaldi sat down in one of the plush sofas, staring accusingly at Hope.

"Know what?" Hope asked as she sat opposite Rambaldi, leaving only Sydney standing. "That Faith wasn't as innocent as I presumed…"

"She was fine until you got your hands on her you…"

Rambaldi sighed and shook her head. "Forgive me Sydney, but neither of us know our child. I awoke something I implanted in to Faith's genome. A safety precaution in case I was not able to raise her."

"Your sociopathical tendencies?" Sydney replied curtly.

"You say tomato." Rambaldi merely shrugged. "It seems my 'sociopathical' ways were already on the surface and active."

"Sark." Sydney muttered. "You didn't take his personality in to account." Rambaldi did not reply but her silence spoke volumes. "Congratulations, you've turned out daughter in to a raging psychopath."

"Harsh words mom." Faith stood in the doorway, her gaze dark and her stance defensive.

"Sweetheart, you have to come with me and Hope, right now. We can fix you."

"Fix me?" Faith laughed. "I haven't felt this good in months. And as for going anywhere with any of you…" She paused as her eyes landed on Hope and a smirk darkened her features. "I think Hope will be coming with me."

"Faith, come with us or we'll have to make you." Sydney's tone was threatening as she approached Faith; it only caused her smirk to widen. When Faith grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her forward Sydney had to suppress her instincts to lash out.

"Do you really think I just get this from Sark and Rambaldi? You're just as screwed up as they are and I know you're desperate to just one time not do the right thing. So here's a gift mother." Sydney could do nothing but stare in to Faith's eyes, her icy blue gaze burning in to Sydney's. She could feel anger and hatred seeping in to her soul, oozing in and contaminating every part of her like sticky, black tar smothering her insides.

She couldn't fight it and she knew it, she was exhausted after a lifetime of fighting she was finally giving up. When Faith was finally finished she let go of Sydney's wrists and watched as she swayed slightly on her feet. Rambaldi, a slight smile on her face, took hold of her waist with a gentle but firm hold. "How do you feel?" Rambaldi whispered.

"Like….like I want to take your neck in my hands and twist." Sydney growled, pulling away from Rambaldi and stumbling over to Hope. "I feel so angry and violent…"  
"I'm sorry." Hope struck her, hard and fast, and the CIA agent fell to the floor unconscious. She picked Sydney up and put her over her shoulder.

"This isn't over." Hope stared defiantly at both Rambaldi and Faith. "I'm coming back…"

"I was counting on it." Faith grinned. "You can go take care of my mom, then come back here, and I'll take care of you." Her smile was both seductive and deadly and Hope had to pull her eyes away to leave the room.

"What was the point in that little charade?" Rambaldi asked as Faith smirked proudly. "All you've done is made Sydney mad and brought her darker part to the surface, but not enough to make her join us…"

"I wanted rid of her." Faith snapped. "Hope is my only concern, if you want mom back then feel free to get her."

Rambaldi sighed as she stood up and looked down at her young daughter. "Love is weakness Faith, remember that." Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"It's not love." Rambaldi laughed as she left the room.

"That's what we tell ourselves Faith."


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **After confronting Faith, Hope's past links to Rambaldi are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

Chapter 14

Later that night, after seeing Rambaldi leave the mansion, Hope slipped from her hiding place in a wooded area near the house and stealthily crept towards the building, intent on confronting Faith.

Going through the front door would alert Faith to her presences and until she knew how strong the girl really was she was relying on the element of surprise. She crept to the back of the building over looking one of the estate's many vineyards. A third floor balcony with an open window was the only way she could see of gaining entry in to the old family house without being spotted.

Taking her backpack off she set it down on the ground and took out a rope with a hook on the end. When it was thrown up on to the balcony there was a scratching metal against metal sound, but as Hope paused for a moment she heard no reaction from nearby and so pulled the rope to ensure it was secured and started shimmying up it with the bag back on her back.

When she's passed the second floor her grip on the rope increased, it was a long way down and the last thing she needed was to break her neck while on enemy soil. The balcony was in sight and her hand was just able to touch the bottom of it when a shadow fell over the balcony and blocked what little light came from the room.

Faith peered over the balcony, a smug grin on her face, and Hope knew she'd been tricked. She'd taken the _only_ other way in to the building she'd seen, not appreciating that I was the only way in besides the door for a reason.

"How's it hanging?" Faith held a sharp blade over the rope as she spoke. Hope scowled as she looked down to the distant ground. "You might want to keep climbing." Faith suggested as she danced the knife over the rope, fraying a few strands.

"I like my chances better with the ground." Hope replied as her free hand groped around in the dark for the bottom of the balcony near where Faith's feet stood.

"Fine." Without warning Faith's boot rose and came crashing down on her hand. She pulled her hand back and winced as hot pain seared up and down her fingers. It was a minor wound, maybe only two fingers broken at most, she could easily fight with it.

In Hope's mind there were only three options, climb up the rope as Faith wanted and into her enemies hands or use her belt and wrap it around the rope to free fall down to the ground, although with that option Fait could cut the rope an help her to the ground a lot quicker. The last option was to do nothing and have Faith cut the rope, but she didn't intend to use that one.

"Which way Hope? Up or down?"

"Up." Hope growled as she started to make her way up the rope, with her injured hand slowing her down. When she was within reach Faith helped pull her up and over the railing and on to the ground where she lay panting for breath and clinging to her wounded hand.

"I prefer _down_." Faith smirked, licking her lips as she pulled Hope to her feet and dragged her in to the room.

She landed on to a rug nearby a roaring fire, which had provided the light Hope had seen at the window. She lay still holding her hand as Faith strolled over to a cabinet and returned with two glasses and a bottle of Rive Barbera d Asti.

As she poured the deep ruby red wine into the two glasses an aroma of cherries and prunes filled the air from the vintage wine. She handed Hope a glass which she took with her good hand. "You've been with Rambaldi only a few days an she's already got you into expensive Italian wines." Faith sat the bottle down on the floor and then shuffled closer to Hope, who had managed to sit up and take a sip of the wine.

"You were never as virtuous as you pretended to be." Rambaldi broke the silence that had settled in the room. "I can feel Lauren shudder inside when I talk of you and evil in the same sentence." Faith nodded as she stared in to the flames.

"When I went back to LA with Lauren, it was for a fresh start. I'd always had a temper and an attitude to go with it, but only when I'm provoked. It was like there was this constant thing inside of me just trying to push it's way to the surface. I never understood it, but I do now." Hope gave a questioning look and Faith elaborated. "It was my true nature, trying to break free of the little innocent girl façade I'd grown up with."

"I preferred you when you were innocent." Hope muttered bitterly. Faith grinned as her hand found it's way to Hope's thigh and her lips hovered by Hope's ear.

"Trust me Hope, you never took my innocence, it was gone before I met you." The hand on her thigh wandered higher as she spoke. "I think you'll prefer the less innocent me."

Hope took hold of Faith's hand with her injured one and stared her in the eye as she pushed it away. "Sorry Faith, Rambaldi women just don't do it for me anymore." The choice of words evidently confused the young woman and it was Hope's turn to smirk. Faith wasn't the only who could play mind games.

"Oh, I guess mommy didn't tell you huh? We were lovers, a long time ago. I'm guessing from the look of disbelief on your face the walls of this house know more about it than you. It's not hard to believe, neither of us talk about it anymore-"

Faith pounced on Hope, pinning her to the ground by her neck, a manic look in her eye. "Tell me everything."

"I intend to."

**Parma, Italy 1459**

"Milena. Do not leave the grounds today, your papa gave us strict orders-"

"I will not Nanny. You have my word." From the mischievous glint in the fifteen year old' eye, one that was ever present, Nanny, also known as Helena Crocetti when she wasn't at the Rambaldi estate running the house for Lord Rambaldi, knew the child would not listen. She also knew it was pointless to stop the young lady from doing as she wished.

An hour after her warning Milena Rambaldi stood in the middle of the market of Parma, the town her father's estate sat on the edge of. She was not dressed in a way that would remotely suggest her stately lineage, but in pauper's clothes, clothes of a poor boy. With her long ebony hair tied up and hid under the cap she had lowered over her face, she looked like any other boy that played around the market.

She loved to walk among the commoners and to interact in a world that was far different from her own. As she walked the streets of the town she saw a girl, no younger than herself, in a pretty emerald green dress with dark brown locks flowing around her shoulders. The girl held three heavy books in her arms and was walking back towards the market. As she was about to pass Milena stuck her foot out slightly. As the girl began to stumble she grabbed hold of her waist and steadied her. The girl, although saved from the fall, was not happy.

"Unhand me you brute!" She was about to hit her attacker with one of the books that lay on the ground nearby when she was pushed against the nearest wall with her hands pinned above her head."

"I apologize for this behaviour Madame, but I can not allow you to hit me, I saw you trip, I helped steady you. I assure you I meant no wrong." The young girl stared in to Milena's azure blue eyes. They were even more vibrant than her dress and she gasped as she took in the pauper's features.

"You are a girl!"

Milena scowled, she did not like being found out. "What of it?"

"Why do you dress as a boy? Are they clothes of your brothers? Are you too poor for clothes of a girl?" Milena was close to laughing at being asked if she was poor, she had more money than a bourgeois's daughter could ever dream of.

"If I were to dress as a woman then men would misuse me. I have no power as a woman, but as a young man I will have respect of men." Milena explained as she picked up the young woman's books and held them in her arms. "These are quite heavy. May I carry them for you somewhere miss?"

"Speranza." The girl replied. "Speranza Mercanti."

"If I'm not mistaken it means hope yes?" Milena replied. "An beautiful name for a beautiful young woman."

Hope blushed as she led the way for the pauper girl to follow. "You're tongue is well educated..."

"Milo." Milena used the name when she dressed as a pauper. "Milo Ram-Ramirez. I may be poor but I'm quite learned. Where may I carry these to?" Hope looked the young woman up and down. She seemed no older than herself and although she dressed like a pauper she seemed to be well educated. She felt she could hold some faith in the girl and directed her to the inn where her father was waiting for his books.

When they arrived at the inn Milena handed the books back over and scowled when the girl offered her money. "I asked for nothing."

"You ask for nothing? What are your motives my poor friend?" Hope seemed confused by an act of kindness from someone supposedly of a lower class.

"Perhaps I wished only to talk to you." Milena smiled, causing the girl's frown to deepen.

"You are a strange girl indeed. Will you take no payment?"

"I would take a kiss if you would permit."

"I would not!" The objected indignantly. "I thank you for your _kindness, _but if you'll take no money then I bid you farewell." Milena sighed as the girl rushed off in to the inn to meet her father. She fled before the woman had a chance to tell her father of their meeting and retuned home within the hour.

Her family and the household knew fine well of her attraction to women and those who objected to it kept silent in fear of her father, but in the world outside the large house and it's grand gardens and vineyards it would not be accepted, but just because she had no chance with the women she desired did not mean she didn't try. The young woman had left a mark on her and while she bathed and redressed in a fine dress of silk she could not remove her from her thoughts.

"Milena." Nanny entered her room and was happy to see her dressed for dinner. You're father's guests have arrived, he wishes you to join them at dinner." Milena nodded and followed Nanny down to the large dining room on the first floor. The table was lavishly furnished in food and good silver. Her father undoubtedly had men of business over.

She curtseyed as she reached her father's side and stood opposite his business friend, a slightly plump man in his forties with greying hair and a thick moustache adorning his top lip. Next to him stood his wife, a thin woman of a considerably larger height than her husband. She smiled politely at Milena and remarked on her beauty as many did when she was dressed as an elegant young lady and not a pauper. Beside the woman stood a young girl. She stood timidly with her eyes to the ground and curtseyed to the lord. Milena paid her no attention, her mind still on the young woman from the market.

As they ate around the large table there was no discussion of business, or politics or religion. When it was just Milena and her father they would talk, long after their food had gone cold, about all three subjects. After the meal Milena excused herself and headed to her room leaving the family and her father in the study.

After a few moments Nanny knocked on her door and entered with the young woman standing behind her, her gaze still on the floor. "Your father requested that young Miss Mercanti should stay here with you while her parents speak of their business with your father."

Mercanti. The name caught her attention and she look up to really see the timid girl for the first time. The emerald dress had been replaced for a more conservative dark blue one, but her hazelnut locks still hung around her shoulders, framing her beautiful face.

When Nanny left and closed the door behind her the girl looked up shyly and her face contorted when she was 'Milo' in a silk dress, the cap gone and her ebony hair flowing down.

"You!" She was stunned to find the pauper in the room of Lord Rambaldi's daughter's room.

"I'm afraid I deceived you this afternoon. My name is no Milo. It is Milena. Milena Rambaldi. I often like to go to the market to be around other people who do not treat me as some sort of princess, but as just another person."

"You are a strange young woman. You dress as a boy when you have these lavish dresses of fine silk; you hide your beauty and your status to be treat as a poor boy, and to add to that you fake the mannerisms of a young man by pretending to lust after another women."

"Lust?" Milena asked as she advanced towards the flustered girl. "There is a difference between appreciating beauty and lust." She appeared hurt by Hope's words.

The other woman blushed madly and started apologising. "Please forgive me. I indeed had your motives wrong, if there is a way to redeem myself-"

"A kiss would suffice." Milena answered, the mischievous glint back in her eye. Hope frowned at her request.

"Your attraction to other women is not normal."

"You are a girl, no quite yet a woman." Milena's eyes raked over the other girl's figure. "Although your body is close to womanhood."

"Women or girl it does not matter, it is wrong and sinful!" Hope objected as Milena started circling her like a vulture would it's dying prey.

"It's only sinful to deny your true nature. I believe you have an attraction to me, you're just unwilling to admit it."

"And I believe you to be an arrogant spoilt brat. I bid you goodnight." She stormed out of the room and returned to the study. Milena, who for the first time, had been denied something in the safety of her own house; she found it interesting. The girl clearly knew Milena was off influence and power and should be respected, yet she was stubborn and refused to bend to Rambaldi's will.

A few hours after the Mercanti family had left Milena had gone to say good night to her father and suggested that Hope should come for lunch the next day as the two had gotten on well. Her father, glad she was taking an interest in making friends and not running around the town, agreed whole heartedly to invite the young girl up to the house.

"Good afternoon." Milena smiled as nanny led the girl in to the smaller dinning room where lunch was to be served. Hope took her seat opposite the slightly older girl and sulked. She had not come of her own free will, but by her father's pestering. He wanted his land and he did not want Lord Rambaldi's daughter changing her father's mind. So, as a dutiful daughter, she went to the Rambaldi estate for her own personal day of hell.

After a relatively quiet lunch Milena took hold of Hope's hand and pulled her out of the dining room and up the many stairs to her bedroom on the third floor.

"Now, what shall we do?" Milena asked as Hope sat quietly on the floor near a chess set. "Perfect. A battle of wills." She sat down next to sulking girl and placed the wooden chessboard between them. "You be white, I prefer black."

"How very apt." Hope muttered, making her move first.

After a few minutes of playing the competition seemed to bring the younger girl out of her shell and eventually Milena managed to coax a conversation out of her.

"Why are you attracted to girls?" Hope finally asked as they started their third game. Allowing her eyes to roam slowly from the board to Hope's eyes, Milena smiled.

"Because there are beautiful, soft, gracious and intelligent. Have you never saw a young woman's soft wet lips and desired to feel them pressed against your own?" The intense gaze the young Rambaldi was giving her unnerved Hope, but her words frightened her even more, as she knew she could not honestly say no.

At her quietness Milena nodded and grinned. "We are no so different after all Hope."

"It is the devil's sickness!" Hope objected, standing to her feet and wrapping her arms around herself comfortingly. "Mother says I am a sick child, the devil has cursed me with inhumane and heretic curses-" She stopped as she realised she had gone too far. "Forgive me, I know not what I say." Milena rose to her feet and approached the girl, staring in to her eyes, her very soul.

"I knew it. The connection, the madness that drives me to you is so strong, it is the only explanation for such fool hardy lust."

She stood by the frightened young girl and held her hand out palm side up. As Hope watched the white bishop rose from the bored and travelled to the other girl's hand. "You are cursed by the devil too?" Tears spilled over from Hope's eyes at the realisation that she was not alone in her curse.

"It is no curse." Milena whispered softly as she let the chess piece drop to the floor. "They are gifts. I can summon objects to do my will, foresee the future and heal my wounds, just some of the abilities I have been granted. These are not our curses Hope, they are a gifts." She held the young woman's cheek in the palm of her hand, her lips growing closer to the trembling ones of the other girl. "And we can control them together. We are not alone anymore my friend, it is destiny that we should meet." Hope put up no fight, as Rambaldi's lips found her own. She relished the warmth that spread throughout her body from the contact and the sweet taste of the other girl.

"I believe I have gone mad." Hope sighed as the older girl held her. Milena held a satisfied smile as the dark haired beauty lay her head on her shoulder.

"Then we shall be mad together."

TBC.

_**Note: **Although some of Rambaldi's life is know on the show, I've changed it to fit the female Rambaldi in the story. The next few chapters will focus on Hope and Rambaldi's past. _


	15. Chapter 15

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **After confronting Faith, Hope's past links to Rambaldi are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **I've had AS exams lately so it's taken me a while to update but hopefully I can around to updating this a lot more regularly now.

Chapter 15

"Milena!" Hope ran in to her best friend's room and jumped on to the groggy teenager's bed. At eighteen the two girls were inseparable and they had formed a bond of friendship that seemed unbreakable. Milena scowled and shoved Hope playfully as she tried to pull the covers back over her and settle down to sleep. It was too early for the young night owl.

"Wake up! I need to talk to you!" Hope demanded as she prodded the other girl. "I have amazing news!"

"There is one reason I will stay awake for you…if you give me your love?" Milena grinned at the blush that spread over Hope's face, but the grin was soon lost when she tried to kiss Hope only to have her move her head away.  
"You already have my love." She replied, staring adamantly at the quilt on Milena's bed. "You are my greatest friend. I came to tell you that…I am to be married."

Milena's gaze darkened. "To who?"

"Mr. Doyle."

"That foreigner?"

"He is an English gentleman." Hope protested, she had expected how badly Milena would take the news. "We're going to be married in two months."

"But you are mine! You're body, your mind, your soul, they belong to me and me alone!"

Hope sighed and pulled the teary girl in to her arms. "You are my childhood love, you opened my eyes to my gifts and the world in which we live, I owe you my everything I am today, no one can take that away, but Mr. Doyle can make an honest woman of me, give me a family-"

"I can do all that and more!" Milena objected. "With my money I can give you anything you desire-"

"Can you give me a child? A son, a daughter?" Hope sighed as Milena pulled away from her, sulking like a child. "I still love you with all my heart, but we are not children anymore, this affair had to end sooner or later. I'm sorry." She kissed the other girl before getting to her feet and walking silently out of the room.

"I'll give you a child. I swear." Milena whispered to Hope's retreating back, her mind already searching for a way to fulfil her promise.

"You and my mother?" Faith sat staring at Hope with wide eyes. "That's why she spent centuries trying to create me? For you?" Hope shook her head, anger welling up inside her as she thought of what had come of Rambaldi's promise.

"No. Her motives changed. She made you to be the ultimate psychic, her greatest weapon."

Faith laughed as she looked at the other woman, her features dark and brooding. "I'm more than willing for you to have me." She grinned as she straddled Hope's lap. Hope laughed at Faith's words and shook her head.

"You're just like her."

"Powerful and determined to have you?" Faith leant in as Hope leant forward to whisper in her ear.

"Pathetic." Faith growled as she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and she pushed Hope away from her to reveal a smashed wine glass sticking out of her stomach. "You're gonna pay for that!" She tried to get to her feet but stumbled and fell on to her hands and knees.

"Alcohol thins the blood, and I doubt that's your first drink today. That wound won't clot. Looks like you're about to test your immortality." Faith groaned as she pulled the glass from her flesh and the blood flow increased.

"Now be good Faith." Hope smirked as she fled from the room and went in search of Rambaldi's room. She found the old safe where it had always been, behind a painting in Rambaldi's room, and quickly set to work opening it. The lock was released with a satisfying click that echoed in the silent room. Inside were papers and documents along with various other things. She found what she was looking for in the very back. A folded piece of yellowing paper with 'Milena, I'm sorry it ended like this' scrawled on the front of it in her handwriting. The contents of the note were lost to her; she had erased them from her mind, vowing that she would never need to know the knowledge it kept. But things had changed.

"You won't do it." Rambaldi's calm voice surprised her as she spun around to see her standing in the door. "It's alright, Faith's unconscious from the blood loss. We can talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." Hope snapped venomously. Hating the memories that being in the room brought back.

"Speranza, you gave up the burden of the knowledge you seek for a good reason. After…After that tragic day you fell apart. It took two decades to get you stable again-"

"That was different. Tessa was my life, Faith means nothing to me."

"Really? Did she mean nothing to you when you held her prisoner to save her from me? Did she mean nothing when you slept with her? Did you hold her in your arms as she lay sleeping, thinking of ways to save her without killing her? It's all right Hope. You care about my daughter, and you have my blessing. All I want now is Sydney Bristow."

"I swore to you I'd take away everything in this world that you cared for and that promise still stands, Milena." Hope growled, not appreciating Rambaldi's mind games.

Rambaldi stepped aside from the door as Hope approached her cautiously. "Go. Find what you're looking for. Come back here; face the wonderful creature that I have created, and attempt to destroy her. I know you Hope. You won't go through with it."

"I've done it before." She almost felt guilty at the sadness that shined through Rambaldi's eyes and for an instant it was like staring in to Milena's youthful gaze as she broke her heart. "I'd say goodbye to your daughter Milena."


	16. Chapter 16

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **After confronting Faith, Hope's past links to Rambaldi are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **I've had June AS exams and a ton of other things I'm working on at the moment, so I've kind of neglected this fic. This is just a short update until I can get more done. Lots of thanks to Irina89 for reminding me about this fic.

Chapter 16

"It's been a month." Faith groaned as she barged in to Rambaldi's Study. "You're not making a move and they haven't done anything. I'm bored of staying in this house. Why won't you let me leave? Or at least bring me Hope to play with?" Faith sulked as she sat down on her mother's desk and played idly with a paperweight.

Rambaldi sighed. "I have been working Faith. Things are almost in order. As for you leaving or going anywhere near Hope it's out of the question. It's too dangerous right now."

"I'm _immortal_!" She emphasised the last word as though speaking to a child.

"Immortality only means you'll live forever if you are not slain."

"What could kill me?" Faith laughed as she threw the paperweight in to the air and held it in place with her mind.

"Hope." Rambaldi sighed again and cradled her head in her hands. "She's determined to kill my daughter and she's seeking the means to do so-"

Faith hated the glazed look that swept over her mother's face when she talked of her childhood sweetheart. "Did you create me because Hope wanted a child? Am I for her? Or can I have _her?_" The question was deeper than just being allowed the girl.

"Hope is a dear friend, even during her times of misguided ness. When we prevail, you can have her. All I want is my family; you and your mother. And no, you were created for me, not Hope. I created you to help me teach this world and the ignorant fools who live in it that discriminating against me for my abilities, my gender and my aims in life was a very big mistake. Soon they will all be under our control, and they'll have no choice but to fear and respect us." Faith shrugged and put the paperweight back down on the desk.

"As long as I get Hope."

"It's been a month." Lauren stood behind Sydney as she stared out of their bedroom window. "She's not just going to walk back in the door. Rambaldi awakened her true nature and-"

Sydney spun around, a dark and fierce look marring her face. "Her true nature is nothing like Rambaldi's. She's not evil."

"No, she's not. But she is violent, short tempered, passionate and stubborn. Everything her parents are." Lauren objected. "Sydney, the Faith you knew was a child. The one I have raised is a young woman. And she is not the angel you believe she is."

Sydney's gaze was piercing and Lauren had to look away as she continued. "I came looking for you because I needed you to help her. She needed guidance and knowledge of her abilities. The questions she had about herself were sending her insane. She attacked a boy at her school for calling her a name. He's still in a coma. I asked her why she reacted so badly. And do you know what she told me?"

Sydney shook her head and turned away. She didn't want to know the answer. "Because she could. Our little girl has a dark and vicious side to her Sydney, even if we do get her back, that isn't going to disappear."

The last place Hope expected to find herself again a small town situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees. She found her destination easily even though the town had changed incredibly since her last visit. The Grotto of Massabielle was abandoned at such an early hour with no visitors flocking to see it's miraculous waters. Getting to the water was easy enough for her, but looking down in to the waters depths she could see only the rocks below.

The last time Hope had arrived in search of the precious aid against Rambaldi she had seen the object lying clearly in the water. She was sure she needed it and was determined to follow through with her oath for the greater good. Now she could not see the object she could not obtain it from the water.

She couldn't kill Faith. She knew this for a fact. Her heart physically ached at the thought of the young woman who had so easily captured the heart of the immortal who, for many years, had considered herself dead to the world. That's what happens when you murder your own child.


	17. Chapter 17

**Title: **Revelations

**Summary: **After confronting Faith, Hope's past links to Rambaldi are revealed.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alias or anything related to the show.

**Rating: **PG-13

**A/N: **Another quick update. I should have a longer chapter done by the weekend

"So the stories are true." Faith looked up from the water to find Julian Sark standing behind her. "It exists." Hope nodded and starred down in the waters again, hoping the artefact would present itself even though she didn't really desire it.

"I can't get it." She muttered, not really talking to Sark. "Its not in my heart."

"Faith is?" Hot stinging tears ran down the immortal warrior's face as she nodded. "If it helps, even if you could get the sword you wouldn't get near Faith. Even Sydney would join Rambaldi before letting her child be killed. After all, it is a mother's duty to protect her child, no matter what the costs." He knew. The worthless mortal knew her gravest secret.

"Bastard." Hope growled as she turned her attention on him. "I killed Helena for the good of humanity. If I hadn't of then neither you nor your damn daughter would exist today. Rambaldi would have won and humanity would have been enslaved…and I would still have my precious daughter."

As Hope broke down in to tears she heard the water slosh behind her and when she looked in to she found the Blade of Peace. She pulled the ancient sword from out of the clear water and watched as rivulets of the sacred water fell from the blade's tip. Sark looked pained as he spoke again. "You're ready now." Hope holstered the blade and nodded towards him.

"Thank you. It's not easy to give up a child for the sake of strangers. You truly are a changed man Julian." He had helped her to realise that killing Helena, her own child, had been the hardest thing in the world and no matter how much she cared for Faith she had destroyed something even more precious to her for the same reasons she would slay Faith. It had to be done. As Hope walked past him he grabbed her arm and held his steely gaze with her own.

"Make it quick and painless. And then flee. Sydney will never forgive either of us for this." Hope understood and hugged the young father. He was giving up his daughter and the woman he loved for a cause she had sacrificed much for. In her eyes he was her equal.

Rambaldi listened to the CIA mole standing before her repeat his news for the second time. "Agent Sark went to Lourdes yesterday afternoon. He was spotted with Hope Mercanti."

"Faith!" Rambaldi shouted at the top of her voice, but needn't have bothered considering her teenage daughter stood just outside the door.  
"You bellowed?" Faith smirked, but lost her smirk when she saw her mother's pale complexion and the fear that haunted her eyes.   
"Sit." She looked to the CIA mole. "Leave." He scurried out as quickly as he could, leaving the two women alone.

"There are some things I need to tell you Faith and you need to pay attention and do as I say, understood?" Faith nodded. "Where to begin?" Rambaldi tried to smile, but only managed a grimace.

"I had a daughter before you. She was both mine and Hope's daughter, with Hope's husband, Charles Doyle. Hope had no idea what I had done, Charles knew everything. He was easily bought. When our daughter, Helena, reached sixteen I told her everything, from the love I had for her mother to the unique circumstances of her birth. I believed that with Helena on my side and Hope becoming aware of Charles' lack of moral standards, that she would join me. I would finally have my family. But she didn't."

Rambaldi was close to tears as she recalled her earlier life. "She left Helena and I for many years. When she returned she was heartless, cold and bitter, barely human anymore. She also possessed the Blade of Peace. The only known weapon that can kill an immortal-"

"She couldn't have." Faith choked. "Hope could never…her own daughter?" Rambaldi nodded.

"She killed our child for a world that rejected us both. It was then that I knew she was not my true soul mate, and Helena was not the child I was destined for." Rambaldi held her daughter soothingly in her arms. "But you are. I love you Faith. I could not bear to lose you. I need you to stay with me at all times and never leave the safety of this house, understood? Hope will kill you. Regardless of whatever bond you share. If she can kill her own daughter, she can kill you." Rambaldi sobbed silently as she held her second child, memories of the loss of her first child tearing her mind apart.

"_Mother." A gasp escaped as Helena felt the blade sink through her chest. The pain was excruciating, and unlike any wound she had suffered before. The pain was true death, something she had never expected to experience. She clung to her mother as the world around her began to grow cold and distant. "Thank you." She cried in relief. Over a century of pain and anguish washing away with each drop of blood that spilled out from her wound. _

_Rambaldi knelt down beside Hope and clutched her child, letting her die in the loving embrace of both of her mothers. "It's over." Hope muttered as Helena drew her last breath. "She's at peace." Hope held the blade in front of her and to Rambaldi's horror launched herself on to it. She cried in pain and fell to her knees but as she pulled the sword out the wound began to heal instantly. _

"_But you are not." Rambaldi spat. "The sword brings peace only to those worthy of it. You will never be allowed to rest Hope, not after today. I'll make sure of it." _

"She won't take you from me." Rambaldi growled through gritted teeth as she gripped her daughter tightly. All too suddenly Faith was aware of Hope's intentions, as though she were in the scorned woman's desperate mind.  
"She'll take mom first."


End file.
